Spirited Away: Always With Me
by ScrewYouShawn
Summary: After reliving the famous 'goodbye' scene in her dreams every night for 6 years, Chihiro makes many decisions that will change her life forever. But she isn't the only one who has to make a choice. What will happen, with Haku forced into an unwanted engagement, with his best friend's life in danger if he refuses? -Ongoing-
1. 1 - Look Back

Sun shining brightly, Chihiro stood in the wide, open field. Grass began to sway as a cool wind blew through. To anyone else, it would have been a breathtaking scene. But, to the girl standing hand in hand with her dragon spirit, it was one of the most painful things she'd ever experienced.

Once again, Chihiro was about to go through the most painful goodbye of her life.

Sensing her saddened mood, Haku gave her hand a slight squeeze as before speaking.

"You'll be fine, just go back the way you came," he said with a smile, but not even he could hide the sad glint in his eyes.

His smile made her heart hurt even more. Despite his reassurance, Chihiro couldn't help but feel that something wasn't right. What about Haku? What would happen when he returned to the bathhouse? Gaining up the courage, she asked.

"But what about you, what will you do?"

Haku smiled warmly. "Don't worry. I'm going to go back and have a talk with Yubaba. I'm finally going to quit being her apprentice."

Seeing her worried expression, he calmly added, "I'll be fine, I got my name back." There was a slight pause. Haku looked like he had more to say, but wasn't sure whether he should say it.

"You saved me, Chihiro."

Her heart instantly warmed at hearing those words, but that sinking feeling still hadn't gone away. Chihiro had finally figured out why she felt so nervous.

"Haku," She barely hid the quiver in her voice, "Will we ever see each other again?"

He responded, speaking softly. "I know we will." He had lied to the girl. Haku knew that the chances of meeting again would be slim, but even if there were the smallest chance, he would try.

"Promise?" Haku noticed the way her eyes sparkled with hope at his reassurance, sending a wave of guilt through him.

"Promise. Now run, and don't look back."

Believing his words, Chihiro let go of his hands and ran down the field, her purple hair-tie sparkling in the sun.

As she reached the stream that signified she was close to the entrance, everything around her faded to black.

* * *

Chihiro sat up in her bed in a cold sweat.

Realizing it was all a dream; she wiped her forehead and took a few deep breaths to collect her thoughts.

Chihiro wished she could go back to her dream and tell her younger self to look back. It had been the one thing Haku told her not to do. Nevertheless, she had always been curious.

_That's all over now,_ she thought to herself. _It's time to move on._

She glanced at her alarm clock and groaned. She was late. Very late.

As quickly as she could, she rolled out of bed, slid on her uniform, and tied her hair up with her now-iconic sparkly purple hair tie.

It had been 6 years now since she had received that hair band from Zeniba. The old witch had told her to keep it with her always, that it was made from the true love of her friends, and that it would protect her. Sadly, no one told her that it would be the one thing she had left to remind her of where she knew she belonged; the Spirit World.

Part of her knew 6 years ago that she wanted to stay. She knew this, but she also knew that she had an entire life and family in the human world. Chihiro made that choice 6 years ago not thinking about her happiness, but those around her.

After looping her hair as tightly as she could, she ran out of the room and down the stairs; surprising her parents. Mr. Ogino, reading the newspaper on the couch, gave a low chuckle to his wife in the kitchen.

"That daughter of ours," he said, "always oversleeping."

The two began to laugh when Mrs. Ogino remembered something, and called out to her daughter.

"Honey? Where are you going, you don't have school today!"

Already a house down from hers, Chihiro stumbled mid-step; confused.

_Today IS Monday, isn't it? _Then it dawned on her. She mentally chastised herself for forgetting something so important.

_You idiot, today's the first day of summer._

Now that it was summer, she only had a few weeks left before leaving this city, forever. Her father had gotten word from his boss that they would have to relocate to Okinawa. The Oginos all seemed very enthusiastic and excited for this 'adventure' awaiting them, and she honestly would have been too, if moving hadn't meant she would be further away from the Spirit World entrance.

_Further away from Hak—_

She stopped mid-thought. Her heart sunk at the image of Haku coming back for her and finding that she had left him. Would he think that she had forgotten about him? The thought was almost too much for Chihiro to comprehend. Not one day had passed in the last 6 years that she had not wished he would come and see her.

_But what if he never comes back for me?_

It had been so long since they had said goodbye. Maybe he had forgotten all about her and moved on with his life? Chihiro didn't know which scenario was more painful, him coming to see her but finding her gone, or him forgetting about her altogether.

Had it really been 6 years? She honestly didn't feel any different. Cliché as it sounded, it truly felt as if it had only been a few days since she had last seen the Spirit World. Chihiro could remember every detail of the place, vividly.

_I wonder what his life is like now. He's probably surrounded with people constantly, never short of a friend to talk to._

She compared that to what her life was like now. Lonely, boring, and sad. Haku truly was the best friend she'd never had, and she had now had to live without that friend for years.

_You moron, _she reprimanded, _he only saw you as some pitiful girl he helped out._ _There've probably been a dozen better people to be friends with since you. Why can't you just move on?_

Chihiro thought of these things as she sulked into the house, slumping into a chair in the living room. She also thought about the dream she had had the night before.

For years, she had the same dream, over and over again. She woke up for the first week thinking it would go away with time. But, after about a month, it slowly took its toll on her. It became the only thing she could focus on. Every night, she'd wake up, rethinking her choice to stay with her family. In school, she would scribble down sketches of the images she saw in her dreams, making her a natural fit for the art club, but it irked her nonetheless. Had she done the right thing in leaving?

Where would her life have been if she had chosen differently? At that point Chihiro wondered this daily and continued to do so for years, but always came to the same conclusion, She'd definitely be happier than she was now, alone in a school full of people and detached from her family at home, not belonging anywhere.

_No, I definitely belong somewhere… just not here._

Enough was enough. Chihiro sat up in her chair, a new resolve taking over her mind. She would march up to her room, lay in her bed and go to sleep. When she began her dream, she swore, she would choose the other path.

As she laid her head down, she thought of one thing only, over and over in her head, like a mantra.

_Look back, Chihiro_, _look back._


	2. 2 - New Perspective

Opening her eyes, she felt herself in someplace new. Chihiro looked at her surroundings; the swaying grass, the shining sun. The wind brushed against her cheeks, causing a slight shiver.

She was back.

This was the same dream, but something felt different. All the other times she had dreamt of this scene, she had always been looking at herself as a bystander, like someone watching a movie. Right now was the first time in 6 years she had actually been able to relive it, first person. It no longer felt like she was just reliving a memory. She was there; just her and—

_Haku._

She looked to her left and saw him. The light breeze made his hair sway as he stared at the field ahead of them. Now that Chihiro was there as a 16 year old instead of an 10 year old, she recognized something in Haku's face that she hadn't noticed all those years ago; a sad glint to his sparkling green eyes, one of loneliness. After so many lonely years, she knew this look well. Convincing herself it was just a distortion in her dream, she tried to refocus on the task at hand.

But she was still so shocked that he was standing there, beside her. Chihiro wanted nothing more than to hug him and feel his warmth again. Just as she was tempted to do this, Haku turned to face her. The look in his eyes was gone; replaced with a distant, faraway look and a sad smile.

Chihiro knew exactly what the next thing out of his mouth would be.

"Now run, and don't look back." He said, looking as supportive as he could.

_This is it, I can do this,_ she thought.

Chihiro took a step forward, then another. Her feet carried her all the way to the middle of the field, as she had done many times before.

_Come on, Chihiro_.

That's when it happened. She turned around and looked back.

Chihiro felt as if some lock had opened up inside of her that she never knew was there. She felt free to move about, as she wanted, instead of just reliving the memory.

All those times she had pictured looking back, she never knew what she would find. Would Haku be standing there with a smile? Would he wave to her and send her on her way? Or would he just be gone?

She didn't expect what she saw, not at all.

All signs of his sad smile had been wiped away. His hand was still slightly outstretched from where she had held it just moments before, as if holding onto the moment for just a little while longer. But his eyes were the saddest of all. Those brilliant jade orbs had lost their luster, and had dulled to a dark stormy ocean green, as if reflecting his inner emotions. His smile was now set into a subtle frown.

Somehow, Chihiro's body knew what would happen next. She ran. She ran for dear life, all the way back to where he stood. What happened next felt as natural to her as breathing. She grabbed Haku and held him close; as someone would grab a handful of sand, not wanting the grains to slip from her protective embrace.

Chihiro had imagined this happening many times before, but this time was different. She felt the rough texture of his apron, and felt his warmth underneath. She had longed for these sensations for so long, and it hurt so badly, knowing that this Haku was only a projection.

Even so, she exposed her feelings as though she were talking to the real one. She stifled a sob as she spoke, muffled into his apron.

"Haku…. I don't want to go…. I never wanted to go…"

Before ever hearing his response, everything faded to black.

Opening her eyes to her bedroom, her eyes immediately went to the stuffed green dragon sitting beside her on the bed. She had gotten that dragon as a gift from her father for her 11th birthday. Believing it was a sign that Haku would come back for her soon, she set it on her bed so she could look at it every night until he finally returned. She carried that tradition on for 6 years, almost like a nightly prayer.

The one thing that she hated about the dragon was the color. Although it was green, it was the most annoying shade of lime green she had ever seen. It didn't at all capture the darkness and beauty of Haku in his dragon form; in fact, it was almost insulting. She loathed that sad replacement for Haku, for it made her miss him even more.

Chihiro sat in her bed for what seemed like hours, just staring at that pathetic toy. She thought about her dream, about finally hugging Haku. Startled, she eventually felt real tears slipping down her cheeks.

And that was when it all fell apart.

Thinking of Haku and that dream, she felt more alone at that moment than she had ever been in the past 6 years. Soon more tears and later sobbing fell upon her. Clutching her dragon to her chest, she tried her hardest to replicate the warmth she felt hugging Haku, but to no avail.

Chihiro missed the Spirit World, and she missed it _badly._She missed having an older sister like Rin, a grandpa like Kamaji, and a granny like Zeniba. She missed feeling as though she was loved. But more than anything, she missed having a friend as supportive and caring as Haku.

She always hated digging up the past, because all it did was reopen old wounds. But, this was necessary. Why _had_ she left?

Millions of thoughts whirled through her mind in a whirlwind. Eventually she thought about her parents.

Growing up, her father got relocated for his job so often that she was never sure where her real home was. At school, she would sit alone, always reading stories of fantasy and adventure in a land far away from her own. She'd then come home with marks on her report card, telling her she always had her "head in the clouds". Her parents would always scold her, but they knew they couldn't do anything about it. They knew they did this to their daughter, by making her abandon so many lives before.

But Chihiro never saw it that way; she was quite content being alone. At night, she would stare at the moon from her window, always dreaming of somewhere else. She imagined princes falling for her, long flowing dresses, magic and monsters alike; and she was happy. Sadly, her parents weren't. She was so caught up in her fantasies that her grade marks soon turned to C's and D's.

But after meeting Kamaji, Rin, Yubaba, Zeniba, and especially Haku, everything changed. She discovered what true happiness was. She felt as though she belonged somewhere, and that she didn't need to be alone or change herself to make others happy. More than anything, she discovered what it felt like to love. Chihiro loved every last frog and bathhouse worker she met in that world. That uneasy feeling she felt when Haku told her to run and not look back; she finally understood it. Her heart was pounding because she knew that the minute she got back to the human world, she would be alone again, and away from those she truly loved.

Haku promised to see her again, but how long had he expected her to wait? This promise was no longer enough for Chihiro, not after her dream. As she sat there crying, a small voice in Chihiro's head spoke up.

_I know what I need to do now,_ Chihiro concluded.

_I need to go back._


	3. 3 - Happiness

**Hey everybody! This chapter is done from Haku's perspective. Now, before you guys skip ahead to the next chapter, please read this one. It will definitely be referenced further down the story, and I want to make sure you guys are in-the-know! ;)**

**Also, I wanted to bring up something. This story is the redone version of another story (written by me) titled Spirited Away: One Summer's Day. I had gotten to chapter 9 in the previous story, and it wasn't even finished. Sadly, my mother moved out of the country soon after posting it; and to be honest, I didn't have the drive to write anymore. Gomenasai. But now I'm back for good, you guys can't get rid of me now ;) I forgot the email associated with my other account (alwayswithme123) and so I decided to just start over. Some of you may still be suspicious of plaigerism, so feel free to bring it up with the 'alwayswithme123' account. I guarentee none of you will get a response, considering she's here now haha :3**

**So, without further ado, here's the chapter. I hope you all enjoy. Please leave a review and follow, and maybe give some tips on what I can do to improve my writing!**

Haku's POV

Many things had changed in the bathhouse. Haku kept his promise to Chihiro and went to Yubaba immediately after she left; quitting on the spot.

Yubaba had been in a bad mood that day already, making this the finishing blow to send her into a frenzy. At first, she assumed he was joking, but after Haku repeated himself several times, she was furious. Yubaba claimed it was all because of 'Sen'; calling her a sly, deceitful brat.

This sparked something in Haku. Hearing Yubaba blatantly slander Chihiro for no good reason worked him up. Without thinking, he mustered all the magic within him; using it to thrust himself down the length of the room. His target: The fat lady's neck. Before he could reach her, Yubaba caught on and froze him; mid-air.

Slowly circling the room, she began her rant; calling him a filthy gutter rat, cursing him for attempting to assault his own boss, and _firing_him from his current position as apprentice; claiming he was too dangerous. This was highly ironic, considering the reason he wanted to talk to Yubaba in the first place.

From that moment onward, he was demoted to Chihiro's old position; cleaning the tubs.

6 Years Later

Haku had been scrubbing the big tub for hours. An Onion Spirit had come in earlier that day, and he unwittingly stunk up the entire batthouse. Now, late at night, the stench still wasn't gone.

_At this rate, I'll be here till morning_, he thought.

He went to grab for a bigger brush when he felt something tingling in his neck. Haku knew this 'tingle' could mean only one thing: Chihiro was revisiting of the memory again. After years of sensing every time she relived that scene, it soon began a habit of his to tune in and witness it again for himself. It broke his heart to see it continue for so long, but he just couldn't look away. It appeared as though the memory was just as painful for him as it was for her.

Taking a break, he set down his scrub-brushes and closed his eyes, stepping inside Chihiro's dream. He saw her standing there with the Haku from 6 years ago. Haku knew this scene so well; it was almost permanently engraved into his heart and soul.

He began watching and recognizing each movement either of them made; young Haku squeezing Chihiro's hand, her stepping slightly closer to him.

_And here is where I say—_

"Now run, and don't look back."

He wanted so badly to tell his younger self to shut up. Why did he say something like that?

_Because you knew that if she looked back, you would have run to her and told her to stay._

Silencing that voice in his head, he kept watching. Chihiro walked to the middle of the grass field.

_Now this is where she runs off,_he thought.

But she didn't. She stood there as if frozen. He did a double take as she slowly turned her head and looked behind her.

_No way… she looked back?!_

His heart began to race. This had never happened before; SURELY his mind must be playing tricks on him.

Chihiro then burst into a sprint. Picking up speed, she soon made it all the way back to where young Haku stood.

_There's no way this is happening._ His heart was pounding so fast, he didn't know what was going on.

Staring at young Haku for a moment, Chihiro wasted no time as she threw her arms around him in a protective embrace.

This shattered Haku's heart, yet that same heart still continued to pound.

Haku didn't know what he was doing until it was already done. Waving his hand and casting a quick spell, he switched himself for the young Haku in the memory.

There he stood, enveloped in Chihiro's embrace for the first time in 6 years. It had been so long since he had felt her arms around him; he wanted to remember this feeling for as long as he could. Chihiro's face nuzzled into his apron, she began to sob.

"Haku, I don't want to go… I never wanted to go…" As she said this, a fit of wailing came over her.

If only she could have seen his face; eyes misty and closed, mouth in a slight frown.

_Chihiro..._

What could he say? What could he do to make her stop crying; to take her pain away? This scene broke his heart almost as much as it was breaking hers. God, how he missed her.

Suddenly, the world around him began to fade black. The dream was about to end. The previously crying Chihiro was now frozen; tears and all.

_She must be awake already,_he thought. But there was something he had to say.

"I don't want you to go, either…" he whispered to the frozen Chihiro, with a sad smile.

Opening his eyes, he stood in the big tub, completely shaken. What had just happened? Why did the scene change? Did Chihiro know it was the real him? He wished so badly he could see what she was thinking or doing right now.

Oh, how much he missed his best friend. All his life, he had always tried his best to never get attached to another person, out of his cowardice for not wanting to get hurt. But it was different with Chihiro. He knew she would never hurt him; it just wasn't in her being. She was pure good. In all his years of living, he had never seen someone so blindly generous or charismatic. Chihiro had gone all the way to Swamp Bottom, with _train tickets,_for someone so cold hearted as himself. No one had ever risked so much for his sake. It changed him.

_And I was the one who sent her away,_he thought as he remembered telling Chihiro to 'run and not to look back'.

He wished he had thought it through more. When he told her, he hadn't realized he was sending away perhaps the best thing to ever happen to him in his life. No, not 'perhaps', she _was_the best thing to happen to his life, because she was the one to give his life _back_ to him in the first place.

_But it was what she wanted,_he retorted. _She wanted to be with her family again. Stop being so selfish; get a hold of yourself._

This put an end to all of his other woes. She chose what she chose, 6 years ago, and there was no changing it. But, God, that didn't mean it didn't hurt.

He remembered one more memory. After Chihiro had given back his name, his dragon form had shattered. They plunged downward, both of them crying out of happiness. Every problem they had, had somehow vanished. This was the first and only time he had ever allowed himself to cry in front of another person.

Haku had finally discovered who he truly was, and Chihiro had been the one to give him that freedom. He recalled both of their tears flying upward as they fell, the droplets intermingling with their hands intertwined, as they flew across the ocean.

As he thought about the memory, there was a pang in his heart. He remembered thinking to himself, back then, that he never wanted to be apart from this girl; his best friend. It was the happiest he had ever been.

_And now I'm here_, he thought. _Lonely, while scrubbing a tub that smells like onions._

He wondered what her life was like, in the human world. Did she have other friends? Was she happy? Or was she just as alone as he was? Haku couldn't decide which scene made him feel worse. He wanted, more than anything, for Chihiro to be happy. Seeing her so emotional in that dream proved that to him. But, after seeing her in such a state, he dared to wonder if maybe she would have been happier in the Spirit World.

_With you._

Haku wanted to crawl inside his own head and punch the annoying voice who said that. Yes, maybe he had wanted Chihiro to stay. But they both had made that choice, years ago, thinking that would be the best option.

At that moment, he had been sitting on the sludge-covered bottom of the tub for quite some time, but by then he was too emotionally drained to continue cleaning. Putting away his brushes with a conflicted grunt, Haku turned in for the night.


	4. 4 - Cutting the Ties

Chihiro woke up that day with a clean conscience and a happy heart.

As she got herself out of bed, she looked to her toy dragon as she always did, and her heart sunk to her stomach. She remembered what she decided she would do today.

_Don't think like that,_she thought. _This has to happen. It's a good thing. I don't belong here anymore._

How heartbroken would her parents be? They'd assume she hated them, for sure. Which was obviously wrong, she thought to herself. She loved her parents and she knew her parents loved her too. She just couldn't continue this constant cycle of loneliness and more loneliness anymore. She had to go home.

Chihiro just didn't want her parents to be upset. She'd be gone before they knew what had happened, of course, but the thought of her mom crying in her father's shoulder was almost too much to bear.

But surely, her parents would want her to be happy, right? They'll understand eventually. At least, that's what Chihiro hoped.

This thinking wasn't good for her. She knew she'd have to get out of there as soon as possible, or she'd chicken out.

Almost as if it were a sign, she looked in her closet and found her classic white-and-green striped shirt, and her pink shorts. Maybe it wasn't necessary, but she thought wearing those clothes might boost her initiative and morale.

Slipping the shirt and pants over her body, she checked her appearance in the mirror.

_Wow,_ _I really do look different than I did 6 years ago,_she thought as the analyzed herself. Her shirt looked slightly tighter in her chest area, and her body gave her the look of a young woman, not a child. Her curves had finally started to show; her waist small, but still at a healthy weight.

Walking to her bathroom, she was about to put her hair up when a thought struck her; today was the day she was starting her life over in the Spirit World, and she wanted to do something to signify this drastic change. She had cut her hair by herself for years, since money was never in abundance at the Ogino household. Chihiro saw the scissors next to her sink.

Chihiro recalled how her hair had those choppy bangs 6 years ago. It looked cute; since her hair was almost always up in a hair tie. It gave her an innocent sort of look.

_He_y, _why not,_she chuckled to herself. Portioning her hair so a large portion of it was in her face, she picked up her scissors and made the first cut. Chihiro gasped as a chunk fell to the floor.

_This is really happening, isn't it?_She thought in excitement. Her worry vanished momentarily.

Snip after snip, more hair began to fall to the floor; her bangs becoming more prominent. She cut at an upward angle at the ends of her bangs, giving them a softer, less harsh line. She left some long side-bangs to frame her face. Chihiro looked in the mirror with satisfaction at what she had done.

Reaching towards the floor, she picked up a chunk of fallen hair. If ever in the future she doubted her choice, she would remember what she did today. This hair was a promise to herself; a promise to live life with no regrets.

Tying her hair up in Zeniba's hair tie, she felt as though everything would be ok. It would be painful, leaving her parents, but she knew she was doing what would make her happy.

Sadly, that feeling of happiness left her the second she stepped downstairs; replaced by a feeling of dread and guilt.

Her mom stood there, humming in the kitchen. Her father was on his old leather chair, just as he was every morning; reading the paper. Chihiro saw how perfectly content they looked, living their simple and pleasant lives. She felt guilty, not being happy living that same simple life.

_Remember the hair, Chihiro, remember the hair._ She repeated to herself.

Mrs. Ogino caught sight of her daughter standing on the stairs.

"Good morning, sweetie!" her mother said as she beamed her always-warm smile at her daughter.

Mrs. Ogino's eyes widened when she saw her freshly-cut hair.

"My goodness, did you cut your hair this morning? It looks beautiful this way." She paused for a moment. "You've grown up so much, Chi."

"Thanks, mama." Chihiro said, giving her mom a hug.

Glancing at the chair her father was sitting in, her mother called out to him.

"Toru, come to the kitchen; look at your beautiful daughter!" she said with a slight chuckle.

Setting down the newspaper and walking to the kitchen, he stopped when he saw his daughter. He slowly walked over to his wife and stood beside her. With a sigh, he spoke.

"Azumi, I think our little girl is growing up too quickly for us to keep up with." They both chuckled.

_Aaaand here comes the guilt._

_"_I know, isn't she gorgeous? I remember her being so small, and now look; she's a woman." Her mom said with a slightly sad tone.

Chihiro spoke up. This love fest was making her heart heavy, she wanted to change the subject.

"Thanks mom. And don't worry, dad, I've still got a bit of growing left in me." She said, trying to hide any hint of sadness she felt.

Her mom suddenly had a look on her face, as if she just remembered something.

"That reminds me, honey, can you run to the market and pick up some ingredients? I need them for tonight's stew."

_This is my chance._

"Mm-hm. Write down a list, I'll head out in a few minutes."

Her mother smiled. "Thank you, dear."

Chihiro decided to go to her room until she left. She quickly wrote down a note, telling her parents not to worry, and that she would be back someday to visit. Chihiro kept the note as vague as possible, only saying that she was 'going somewhere she knew she had to be'. A few tears began to trickle down her cheeks, falling on her note. Signing her name, she set the paper on her pillow, where she knew her parents would find it eventually.

Just as she was about to leave her room for the last time, her toy dragon caught her eye. Instead of the sight of the dragon giving her anxiety, it gave her hope. No longer would she need to look at its disgusting shade of lime green. She'd soon see the beautiful ocean green mane herself.

Giving the dragon a smile, she closed the door to her room with a slight 'thud'. As she neared the bottom of the stairs, she heard her mother call from the kitchen.

"Oh, Chi, there you are! I've got the list for you." She said, handing Chihiro the small paper.

"Alright, I'll be back soon." Chihiro said, barely hiding the slight quiver in her voice.

Maybe it was strange, but she had to do one more thing before she left.

Her mother had already returned to the kitchen, but that didn't stop Chihiro. She walked up to her, and gave the biggest hug she had ever given. Mrs. Ogino reciprocated the hug, slightly puzzled at this sudden expression of affection from her daughter. Nevertheless, she didn't object. She missed having her sweet, loving little girl. Chihiro really had grown up.

Saying goodbye to her mom once more, Chihiro entered the living room. Her father had now switched to watching television. Standing in front of him, she gave him the same hug she had given her mother; except this one meant more to her. Chihiro had always been that iconic "daddy's little girl". After every one of their moves to a new city, she recalled crying many times in her father's shoulder, and having his strong arms protect her from any harm. In a way, her dad was her best friend until she met Haku. Hugging her father like this brought tears to her eyes, and she silently willed them to stay in her eyes so her father didn't see.

Mr. Ogino was even more puzzled than Chihiro's mother, but didn't object for the same reasons she hadn't.

"See you later, Chi," He said with a smile.

At this point her tears were really threatening to spill over.

Waving to both her mother and her father, she stepped out the door. Her tears were close to falling out, but Chihiro just wouldn't let them fall. She would not cry over something she knew she had to do.

_Come on, Chihiro, get it together,_she thought. _Nobody said it was going to be easy._

With that, she began her journey to the tunnel that led to the Spirit World. Some tears made their appearance and began to fall, but Chihiro always put an end to it quickly.

It was somewhat funny; she wasn't really sure how to get there. But, as she continued onwards, it seemed as though something in her brain had finally clicked; she remembered every step of the way. It was as if her brain had a GPS set to 'home'.

She subconsciously reached her hand in her pocket. Feeling the hair she had picked up, she knew she was doing the right thing.

Her feet carried her down every road until she reached that red tunnel. She stood outside its entrance and felt the familiar breeze almost pull her in.

Chihiro's heart nearly skipped a beat as she thought of what her new life would be like, inside the Spirit World. Who would she see first? How many things have changed? Would they remember her?

Surely, her parents would approve of what she was doing, if they only knew of the happiness she felt in that very moment; mere feet away from beginning her new life.

Chihiro sighed, staring down the tunnel. She whispered three words to herself as she took her first step inside.

"I'm coming home."


	5. 5 - Old Friends

Chihiro took one step, and then another. She walked all the way down the tunnel, keeping rhythm with the sound of her echoing feet.

She stopped immediately when she entered the giant church-like room with the stained glass windows. Something about it used to be spooky to her 6 years ago. But now, at 15, there was an unspoken beauty to it.

It was peaceful. The colored light that shone down from the glass was very familiar to her. Chihiro recalled holding her father's arm as they had walked though the room. But somehow, the entire room had a different feeling now that she was alone.

Continuing onwards, she inhaled quickly when she saw where she was now.

_The field._

The same field that haunted her every time she laid her head on her pillow. For some reason, she expected it to look different, but it was still exactly the same as it had always been.

She began to walk.

Chihiro could see a mirage of her and Haku, saying their last goodbyes. 6 years later, after reliving it thousands of times in her dreams, she knew every line, every movement.

_It's so strange,_she thought. _It's been 6 years, but being here now, it feels as though it's only been a day._

Her heart felt different than she thought it would be. She had expected it to be racing, but she couldn't find any excitement there at all. She was entirely calm; no anxiety, no fear. It felt natural.

Climbing the steps that led to the shops and merchants square, she saw the stand where her parents had turned into pigs. And there, on top of the center table, stood piles upon piles of exotic, wondrous smelling food. Although it looked delicious, it was certainly not enough to tempt Chihiro after what had happened before. In fact, the very sight of the food made her want to burst out laughing.

It was still mid-afternoon, so the lights wouldn't change for quite a while yet. She took her time walking to the bridge of the bathhouse; her mind caught in a reverie.

Now standing on the bridge, she half expected to see a young boy with striking emerald eyes staring at her, asking what she was doing there, telling her to get out.

Something in her head finally clicked.

_Wait a minute, is Haku even still working here?!_ She thought in urgency, recalling that she told him to quit being Yubaba's apprentice. Chihiro wanted to punch herself for only now remembering this.

_Nevermind,_she thought. _I came this far, and I am not turning back, no matter what. If he isn't here, I'll find him._She thought with determination.

As she walked down the bridge, she noticed something frightening. The tips of her shoes were becoming transparent.

Her eyes widened.

_I'm… disappearing?!_

God, how stupid was she? You'd think after going through this once before, she'd remember. She burst into a sprint; to where, she didn't know.

_I'll go to Kamaji's, Maybe he'll have some spare soot food!_

She was glad nobody had seen her. Chihiro knew that if anyone spotted her, they'd have questioned her; taking up precious time before she'd disappear completely.

Chihiro came to the wooden stairs that led to the boiler room. As a younger girl, she used to be terrified of falling to her doom. Sadly, that was the one thing that hadn't changed since that time. She thought she might as well get it over with; picking up speed, she skipped every other step on her way down. Unable to slow down, she slammed her nose into the thick cement wall.

Rubbing her nose, she gave a huff of laughter; she had done the exact same thing 6 years ago.

_Some things never change._She thought.

Looking at her hands, she saw that they were fading quickly. Chihiro could now put her entire hand through her chest.

Locating the old metal door that led to the boilers, she entered; welcomed by a blast of hot air. Not even thinking of what she was doing, she darted inside the main boiler. Seeing an old man grinding spices in the center of the room, she turned to him.

"KAMAJI, no time to explain, I need food and I need it NOW." She yelled.

Startled by the random girl's sudden entrance, he looked suspicious.

Though Kamaji didn't recognize the girl, he quickly threw to her what appeared to be a small berry. Eating it without hesitation, her limbs regained their color.

"Thanks, Kamaji." Chihiro said, completely forgetting that it had been 6 years since they'd seen one another.

There was dead silence.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" The old man asked roughly. He pushed his glasses further up his nose, trying to get a closer look at his intruder.

She paused.

"Hi, Grandpa…" Chihiro said, with cheeky smile.

More silence. Suddenly, his eyes widened as if seeing a ghost. Kamaji straightened his glasses, making sure he was seeing things correctly.

"Chi-Chihiro?!" He said in disbelief, forgetting his herbs; standing up with a jolt. All of his supplies crashed to the floor. Chihiro, being the caring person she was, immediately dropped to the floor to pick them up.

She stood up, about to respond, when she felt 6 arms wrap around her; making the herbs and spices drop once more.

Kamaji was hugging her. Chihiro was at first startled, but soon hugged him back. Her eyes began watering; she hadn't realized how much she missed Kamaji in particular. Without him, she wouldn't have gotten a job in the bathhouse. She wouldn't have met Rin, Yubaba, Zeniba, and everyone else. None of this would have happened were it not for Kamaji.

"I'm back…" She whispered in the middle of the hug. Kamaji let go of her, getting a good look at his now older granddaughter.

"Just look at you! You're blooming into a beautiful woman!" he said with his toothy grin. Suddenly gasping, he continued.

"Oh my, just wait until Haku sees you! Oh goodness, and Rin! She'll be here any minute to feed the soot! Have a seat until she gets here, and tell me how you've been!" He looked the most excited Chihiro had ever seen him.

Chihiro could barely contain herself as she told him she was staying for good. Expecting a good response from Kamaji, his sudden look of worry came as a shock to her.

"But what about your parents? Your friends? Oh, Chihiro… have you really thought this through?" He said, totally exasperated.

His reaction saddened her. She had truly expected her adopted grandfather to be happy she was back for good. She took a deep breath before explaining.

"Kamaji… my family is here now. I've thought this through every day for 6 long years…and I'm staying." She said, getting teary eyed. Chihiro continued.

"I tried so hard to live a normal life after I left the Spirit World. I tried meeting new friends… I got involved at school. Nothing worked. I just never had a connection with anyone since I left." Her tears began to fall on her cheeks, one by one.

"My family recently got word that we'll be leaving the city in a matter of weeks, forever. I would never see any of you guys again. This had to have been a sign, right?" she said with a slight hint of desperation. "I don't belong there any more, Kamaji. Please don't turn me away."

Kamaji now saw the pain she had felt all these years. Suddenly overwhelmed with guilt, he spoke up.

"I'm so sorry, Chihiro. I didn't mean to make you feel as though you weren't wanted. In fact, all of us here have missed you beyond words…even Yubaba. She yells at us daily telling us to work 'more like Sen'." He said with a low chuckle. "If you're ok with it, I personally would be overjoyed if you stayed for good!"Kamaji said with a grin, giving the girl another hug.

Almost as if on cue, a tall brunette women slid open the wooden panel and entered. Chihiro knew right away who she was.

_Rin._

The fox spirit, not seeing Chihiro standing there, yelled at Kamaji.

"How many times have I told you to put your dishes outside the door?!" she said, taking his old plates and replacing them with tonight's dinner.

Kamaji was stifling laughter. Chihiro was standing _right there_, and it was as if she were invisible to Rin.

Chihiro, too, was stifling laughter. These had been the first words she had heard out of Rin's mouth when she first met her. How long, she wondered, would it take her to realize who else was in the room?

Rin turned around to feed the soot, but was surprised to see a mysterious girl standing there. Wait, no, that was no mysterious girl….

"SEN?!" she shouted, mouth spread in a grin. She let out a girlish screech before running over to her friend, catching her off guard with a bear hug. Both of them fell to the floor, laughing like little girls.

"I'm BAAA-aaaack!" Chihiro said in a sing-song voice. Rin was like a sister to her, she had missed her so incredibly much.

Rin gasped with excitement.

"For good this time?!" she said hopefully.

Chihiro giggled. Giving her a smile, she nodded. Once again, Rin let out her girly shriek and hugged her again, pushing her to the floor once more. Chihiro laughed the hardest she had laughed in a long time.

"This'll be fantastic," Rin said while laughing, "You can tell me all about your world! All your friends, all the boys who are madly in love with you, all your—" Chihiro's thoughts blocked her from listening to what Rin was saying.

_So this must be what it feels like, to finally belong somewhere._She thought to herself, knowing she had made the right choice in coming back.

Both of them getting up from the floor, Rin asked Kamaji, "Has Haku seen her yet? She looks so beautiful now, he'd probably start drooling." She said with a goofy smile and a wink. Chihiro felt her cheeks get pink at the thought.

This sent Kamaji cackling. "Aww, don't tease the girl, Rin."

Chihiro remembered something. "So, Haku is still working here?"

"Not only is he working here, he's working in your old position!" Rin said, in stitches from laughter. "I swear, the first time I saw him scrubbing the big tub was the funniest moment of my life!"

Chihiro began to laugh. But Rin wasn't finished. "I still remember the day he quit being Yubaba's apprentice; it was right after you had left. He marched straight up to her office and quit on the spot. I don't really know what happened in there, to be honest, there were rumors all over the bathhouse the next day. Apparently, Yubaba said something she shouldn't have, and Haku tried to attack her."

This worried Chihiro.

_Haku, attacking someone? He would never._

"Haku isn't that type of person…" she said solemnly.

Rin agreed. "I know, right? I still wonder, to this day, what she said to get him so worked up. Anyways, ever since that day, he's been working the tubs."

At that moment a knock was heard that the sliding wooden panel. Aogeru, the frog worker, entered the room.

"What is it, Aogeru?" Kamaji asked with concern.

He hopped up, right to where Chihiro stood. He looked her straight in the eye.

"Yubaba requests that you come to her office immediately, she has some things she would like to discuss with you." The frog said this in a blank, emotionless tone.

You could feel the air turn into concrete as he said those words. Both Kamaji, Rin AND Chihiro were concerned over what Yubaba wanted from her.

The frog hopped away, leaving the three others standing in an awkward silence. Suddenly, Rin turned to Chihiro with a sudden urgency.

"Chihiro, no matter what… Get a job. Don't let her send you off. You can't leave again, please." Rin said with desperation. She continued.

"If you can't do it for me, do it for Haku. The last 6 years you were gone, he hasn't been the same as before. He misses you more than all of us combined, Chi."

_Chi? Only mom has ever called me that… and Haku missed me?_

"I will," she promised. "I'll get a job in the bathhouse, I swear it."

Rin gave her a long, affectionate hug. "Good, than meet me in the women's quarters later tonight. We have a lot to catch up on." She said with a wink.

And with that, Rin closed the wood panel and was gone. Chihiro gave Kamaji one last hug, promising she'd be back soon; this time, with a contract.

"Good luck!" Kamaji said, giving her a 'thumbs up'.

She slid the wood panel closed behind her, this time without bumping her head.

"Here we go…" she breathed to herself.


	6. 6 - Concealed Feelings

**Thank you, Sandstorm2555, for bringing to my attention that this chapter was just a copy of the 5th chapter... I feel super embarrassed now haha. I got everything sorted out, so here you go. Sorry everyone! Thanks for all the support!**

* * *

Exiting the boiler room and stepping inside the bathhouse, everything looked different than it had as a young child. Having grown at least half a foot since then, she could now see everything eye-to-eye. It was much less scary.

Chihiro recognized a few of the spirits as she walked to the elevator; the Radish Spirit being one of them. She waved to him, and from across the room you could see him wave his gigantic radish arm in her direction; greeting her. Bringing a smile to Chihiro's face, she kept walking.

As she neared the elevator, she walked past a group of the female bathhouse workers. They began whispering and gossiping behind her back.

"Is that Sen?"

"No way, that couldn't be. She looks so old now!"

"Just smell her! She smells exactly the same!"

"Oh god, not the smell. She'll stink up the whole place again!"

"I wonder if Haku-sama knows she's here yet. He'd probably have a heart attack. You know how much he missed her…"

This sent the two yunas into a fit of giggles, and Chihiro felt her heart leap to her throat. Haku had actually… missed her? Probably not very much, but the very thought of it made her insides suddenly feel warm and fuzzy.

She'd see her best friend again...it could be hours, and it could be minutes. Chihiro didn't know when, but all she knew was that she was seeing him, and seeing him _today_. The thought sent her heart into a fit of fluttering.

Now inside the elevator, she pulled the lever; shooting the wooden cubical upward. Chihiro was tempted to press her nose to the sides, wanting to catch a glimpse at the ground escaping beneath her feet.

Remembering Rin's old threat of her nose being ripped off, she thought better of it.

_The top floor, huh?_

The elevator began to slow down; eventually halting at the top floor.

Her heartbeat quickened. What did Yubaba want from her? How did Yubaba know she was there, so soon after she had arrived?

She silently prayed that whatever Yubaba wanted, it would end well, and not with Chihiro's head cut off.

Chihiro recalled every turn to Yubaba's office.

_And a left here,_she thought. This brought her to the magnificent door, which led to her fate. Just as she was about to reach for the handle, a raspy, shrill yet familiar voice insulted her.

"After all these years, still not going to knock?"

Chihiro whirled around to see where the voice had come from. She saw nothing.

"Still just as rude as before, I see." The voice barked.

She turned around and recognized the raspy voice as the doorknocker that stood there 6 years before. The metallic figure rolled its eyes as it opened the door with a creak.

Suddenly, she heard a familiarly sarcastic voice booming at her from some unknown source.

"Ah, look who finally decided to show up! Sen, please, come in. I think there's someone here who would like to see you."

Before Chihiro knew what was happening, she felt an invisible hand come and grab her shirt, yanking her all the way down the long corridor that led to Yubaba's desk.

Every bump and curve was another whack in her side. This wretched hand pulled her through very turn, and she could feel the gravity pulling at her. Her head had begun to spin, when she suddenly felt herself being flung to the floor; landing right on her head.

Rubbing her head as she groggily stood up, she saw she was right in the center of Yubaba's office.

The fat old woman snorted with a smirk, adding, "What an elegant and graceful entry, Chihiro. We're so glad you could join us."

Chihiro, having regained her balance, took a look at her surroundings. She remembered the long tapestries that hung on the walls; and every desk and shelf was filled with magical trinkets as far as the eye could see. Everything appeared to be the same, except there was someone else in the room…

She felt her entire body go numb as she saw who was standing beside the gigantic old witch.

There, stood a boy who appeared to be about Chihiro's age. His ocean green hair cut off at his shoulders. His blue and white apron covered what appeared to be an immaculately toned body, and he was quite tall. But what Chihiro stared at the longest were his eyes. Those emerald eyes that shone like the real gemstones themselves. They were the very eyes that had an ability to calm her, just by thinking about them; no matter what situation. She knew those eyes, and she definitely knew who they belonged to.

_Haku._

Chihiro's eyes widened, her mouth gaped open in shock. She had not expected her old friend to be in the room with her, standing mere feet away.

Apparently, he was just as surprised as she was, because Haku's eyes immediately widened at seeing the girl standing there.

Time stood still for the two of them.

It was always said that the eyes were the window to the soul. Both pairs of eyes were frozen in shock; they could now see all the pain and loneliness the other had felt through the 6 years without each other. Chihiro always knew that Haku's eyes changed their shade, depending on his mood. His eyes, as of right now, switched from the saddest of blues to the brightest and happiest shades of green.

And then he smiled. He smiled the brightest, most genuine of smiles Chihiro had ever seen appear on his face.

This, of course, brought an even brighter smile to her face.

All of the pain; all of the tears she had shed in coming here, every last bit of it had suddenly become worth it. _This_was why she was here, she thought. She was here to see her best friend's smile.

And Haku, having wondered what she was feeling only a day earlier, could see his answer staring at him in the face. Her brown eyes were soft and bright, almost delicate. As if a single look would shatter them. She was just as sad and alone as he was these past 6 years, it seemed.

They both simultaneously took several steps towards each other. Chihiro, wanting to embrace her dear friend again, suddenly felt the room began to swirl. She staggered, losing her balance. The impact on her head from being thrown into the room was finally taking its toll on her.

Her legs crumpled beneath her, but she didn't care. Chihiro was happy; so impossibly happy that she could cry. She knew, now that she had seen Haku, that she never wanted to be anywhere else other than the Spirit World, and that would never change.

Before collapsing entirely, she felt someone catch her fall. She couldn't see who, but she had one guess.

Chihiro was immobile, but she felt as if she were walking on air. She whispered two words before losing consciousness in her dear old friend's arms.

"I'm back…" she said, closing her eyes.

Haku's POV

Haku stood there with Chihiro in his arms. She had quite the impact when she crashed in here, he thought.

He just couldn't stop looking at her. Chihiro had looked so much older when she came in, but as she lay in his arms unconscious, she looked just as she had 6 years ago.

How was she here right now? What on earth was happening? So many thoughts were running through his head, he couldn't think straight.

Her head rolled to the side in his arms, and something purple and sparkly caught his eye.

It was the hair band that Zeniba had given her. He remembered Chihiro telling him about it before they had said goodbye, as they walked to the field. The memory made him smile.

"Ahem," Yubaba lightly coughed.

Whirling around, Haku had forgotten that they were standing in Yubaba's office. His cheeks flushed, realizing he had been staring at Chihiro for the past minute.

"Forgot I was here, did you, Haku?" Yubaba said with a devilish laugh. "You were so focused on Chihiro here, I was almost afraid to speak up. You guys stared at each other with such _passion._Ahh, young love," She said sarcastically. Now she was really pushing Haku's buttons, and that's exactly what she had wanted to do.

_It isn't like that, you know it isn't. Let it go, Haku._

Breathing in and exhaling all of his anger, he spoke up.

"I'm going to get some food from the kitchens for Chihiro. We don't know if she's eaten yet, and she may begin to disappear at any moment." He said, setting the unconscious Chihiro on the couch in the corner of the room. His calm town successfully masked how excited he was.

Yubaba only nodded. She didn't want an angry Haku on his hands if anything happened to the girl.

Haku exited the room with a lot on his mind. Closing the door, he leaned against it, feeling lightheaded himself. The best friend he had missed for 6 years, the one who saved his life and taught him what it felt like to care for another being, that very person… was at the other end of this door. His heart began to pound.

He would never deny it, he loved Chihiro.

People like Rin and Kamaji had told him time and time again that he was 'smitten' for her, but Haku really wasn't sure in which way he loved her.

His life changed forever when he met Chihiro, that's for sure. She was beautiful, inside and out. Chihiro was, to him, so much more than a best friend. Chihiro was everything to him. But was it a romantic attraction? He had never in his life been able to say that he was in love, and he wasn't sure if he was now, either. Plus, even if he was in love with Chihiro…

_She'd never love someone like me._

He thought about her mortal body, how someone like her would eventually grow old and die. The thought stung the deepest parts of his heart, but it was true. She would die, and he would live on.

He was approaching his 136th birthday. This was still adolescent in the Spirit World, but Chihiro was only 15. It just wouldn't be right, he thought.

But, none of that mattered right now. He was just happy she was here, right now. If he did love her in the way Rin and Kamaji say, he would never dare tell Chihiro.

Haku remembered telling Yubaba that he was getting food for Chihiro. Waking up from his inner thoughts, he hurried to the kitchens in a hastened pace.


	7. 7 - A Deal With the Devil

**Hello everyone! Here we are at almost 289 views... wowza guys, That's fantastic! I'm taken aback by how sweet you guys are. Lets see if we can break 300 by tomorrow morning ;)**

**Please, if you're enjoying the story, follow it and leave a review. The next 2 or 3 chapters will be uploaded in a week. I'm trying to find a good system of when to upload... and I'm thinking of uploading 2 chapters every Sunday. I'm open to suggestion, though, so please let me know when you'd like to see more chapters and how often.**

**Anyways, thanks so much for all of your support! I'll be introducing some new characters soon, and the plot after this chapter is about to get a little bit more complicated *diabolical laughter* mwahahaha :3 Without further ado, here's chapter 7. :3**

When she opened her eyes, she briefly found herself back inside her old room. Chihiro could have sworn she saw her mother standing the corner, and the sight filled her heart with warmth.

After blinking several times, she saw that the woman was not her mother, but Yubaba, staring very intently at her.

"Ahh, and Sleeping Beauty finally awakens. Nice job, getting your smell all over my office." Yubaba said, giving the girl a dirty look.

Looking at her surroundings, she saw that she was wrapped in a blanket on Yubaba's couch. She finally remembered what had happened, and who had caught her when she fell.

Her eyes darted around the room, looking for her friend. Seeing her look of dismay, Yubaba looked up at her. She gave a sneer. "If you're looking for your dragon, he told me he was going to get some food for you. He wasn't sure if you had eaten anything yet in this world, and we wouldn't want you disappearing again, now would we?"

Chihiro made a mental note to thank him for catching her earlier. She also thought she had better get to the point with Yubaba as soon as possible; she didn't want to stay in that office any longer than she had to. It gave her the creeps. "Yubaba, is there any way I can get a job here again?"

Yubaba thought for a moment. The look on her face said she was skeptical. "How do I know that you won't just leave again like before?" She paused, and then gave a howl of laughter. "If you're trying to pull something like that again, you can forget it."

Her skepticism and hesitance didn't deter Chihiro. "This time will be different, Yubaba, I can promise that." She paused. "I've closed the chapter of my life in the human world, and I'm staying here."

The severe look on Yubaba's face dulled into a blank expression.

"Although I hate to admit it, no one in this bathhouse ever worked as hard as you did. If you are actually staying here for good, I may have actual use for you here." She paused and gave a sigh. "I'll give you a job, but it'll be different than the job you had before. And If I hear one little complaint out of you, I'll skin you alive and fry the shreds as chips for the guests."

Completely ignoring that open-ended threat, Chihiro smiled and nodded quickly. Yubaba looked almost disgusted at her joyous expression. "HEY!" She said loudly. "Don't go thinking that this is me going soft, alright?! I wouldn't be doing this with any old worker, you know."

Chihiro was so happy, she felt she should express her gratitude. But, before she could, Yubaba waved her hand. A paper in the center of her desk floated softly into Chihiro's hands, along with a quill.

"You know the drill," Yubaba said. "Sign your name, and I'll put you to work."

Wasting no time, she quickly signed her name in the same spot she had 6 years ago. She also wrote her name on her arm, so she wouldn't forget it, no matter what.

She wondered in silence what her new job would be. Eventually, curiosity got the better of her.

"Yubaba, what kind of work will I be doing?"

Yubaba smiled wickedly at this, adding a hint of nervousness to Chihiro's happy mood.

"Well, you see, after you left, Haku stormed into my office and quit being my apprentice," She paused, glancing at Chihiro. "He did all of my dirty work, and he did it well. As you could probably guess, I was very upset that he was now leaving me," she said while trying to hide the smirk on her face. Yubaba wondered if Chihiro had caught on to what she was thinking. Chihiro eagerly listened, expecting Yubaba to tell her that she needed her to find Yubaba a new apprentice. Clearing her throat, Yubaba continued.

"For the past 6 years, I've had to do all of these tasks and errands myself. But, I now find myself in dire need of a new apprentice."

Chihiro felt the air escape her lungs as she heard what Yubaba said next.

"And that apprentice will be you, Sen."

Haku had arrived at the office moments before, carrying plates of food for Chihiro. Hearing that she and Yubaba were deep in conversation, he thought it'd be wise to wait outside the door and not to interrupt.

After waiting long enough, curiosity got the better of him. He focused all of his dragon senses into listening, and put his ear up to the door, hearing their conversation. He heard Yubaba speaking first.

" -I am now in dire need of an apprentice."

Haku didn't like the way this conversation was going. What on earth were they talking about in there? He continued listening.

"And that apprentice will be you, Sen."

He nearly dropped the food in his hands. Haku must have been hearing incorrectly, right? He certainly hoped so.

_Chihiro, as Yubaba's apprentice?! Yubaba KNOWS she won't be able to handle that kind of work!_

Frozen in shock, he came to his senses.

_I need to stop this. I've got to get in there!_

He slammed into the door, much to the surprise of the doorknocker. Haku hadn't realized how much strength he had used; the huge wooden door was now cracked at its hinges. He burst into the room.

The sight he saw was not a pretty one. Yubaba's wicked smile was several inches from Chihiro's face, and Chihiro looked as though she was either about to burst into tears or pass out again. Both women startled by his sudden intrusion, they turned their heads in unison to look at him.

Without thinking, he ran to the center of the room, his shouts directed towards Yubaba.

"Yubaba, you _know_ Chihiro isn't capable of those types of jobs. She's a girl, not a slave!"  
His eyes turned dark, like an ocean on the verge of a storm.

Before Chihiro could speak up, Yubaba responded.

"Her name is _Sen _now, dragon-boy," the old woman retorted, showing Haku her new contract. "And she's not a girl anymore. 6 years have passed, Haku, and she's grown up." Before finishing, she narrowed her eyes at him; her tone changing. "You can't protect her forever, Haku, you know this."

That last statement struck a chord with Haku. He recalled as they held hands on the field 6 years ago, about to say their goodbye, he secretly passed along a seal of protection from his hand to hers, guaranteeing her safety throughout her life. Had Yubaba somehow known this? He promised himself to bring that up with the old hag later. There were more pressing matters to attend to.

"She'll be killed if you give her this job, you know that! Why are you sacrificing such a hard worker for something you know she can't do?!" A wind without origin began to swirl around Haku, rustling his hair. He hadn't been this angry in several decades. His eyes were almost black, filled with his fury.

This spectacle only made Yubaba more furious. Chihiro, on the other hand, was surprised that he cared so much for her wellbeing. She had never seen him more furious, and it both frightened her and touched her. Nevertheless, she knew something had to be done.

"I'll do it." She said sternly, looking at both Haku and Yubaba.

You could hear a pin drop as the two angry figures whirled their heads to look at Chihiro. Haku was about to demand that Chihiro was given another job, but now, seeing her calm confidence, changed his mind.

He could finally see now that Chihiro was no longer the little girl who fell in his river. Haku looked at her now as the strong, independent, beautiful woman that she truly was. In that moment, all of his anger dissipated as he gained a new level of respect for her.

Yubaba, too, was shocked. Although Yubaba knew that Sen had grown older, she had never expected her to be accepting of this new job. Maybe she just didn't know what she was getting herself into.

Hearing the prominent silence in the room, Yubaba finally spoke up.

"See, dragon-boy?" She piped. "She's a big girl now."

Haku pondered the pros over the cons of this situation for a moment. He could think of only one thing that might make it easier for Chihiro.

"Fine, but you'll be letting me assist her on any out-of-bathhouse jobs." He said. If Yubaba agreed to his conditions, he'd allow it.

Yubaba, at this point, was irritated that they had been in her office for so long. She was ready to agree with anything, if those brats would just leave her alone. Getting impatient, she nearly yelled at them.

"FINE, just shut up and get out of my office. Sen, you'll be starting here tomorrow morning."

Haku's eyes transformed back into their brilliantly bright jade orbs, and Chihiro exhaled in relief. Before any of them could respond, however, both of them felt invisible arms grab them, dragging them both out of the office. Hearing the door slam behind them, they felt the mood change.

Both of them staring at the floor, none of them knew what to say. The air felt thicker, and Chihiro suddenly felt as if she was trying to breathe underwater. They remained in silence for several moments. Chihiro had so much to say to Haku, yet the words just wouldn't come out.

She was beginning to feel worried. Chihiro was too afraid to make eye contact with him. All she knew was that this silence was torture for her, and she wanted to get out of it as soon as possible.

_Oh God, _Chihiro thought. _Why isn't he saying anything?! Why am I not saying anything?!_

She began to feel disappointed. Maybe he didn't want her back in the Spirit World. Or, perhaps, maybe he had already found a new friend to take her place.

Chihiro quickly stole a glance to her side, to see what Haku as doing. Apparently he had the same idea, because she saw his eyes staring directly at hers. She quickly turned her gaze back to the floor.

She was now filled with panic. Why was he looking at her so intently? What's going through his head right now? Why was this situation so awkward?

_Maybe I'm too late, _She thought. _Maybe so much time has passed that all we'll ever be around each other is awkward. _The thought made her heart sink.

Chihiro suddenly remembered that Rin had wanted her to meet her in the women's quarters once she had gotten a contract. She decided to use this as an excuse to escape this situation.

She was nervous. Her hands were shaking, and she was so terrified to open her mouth that she was surprised she even had a voice at all. Chihiro had already taken the first step towards the elevator when she spoke.

"H-haku, I have to go see Rin…" She stammered out in a hushed voice.

Chihiro had just turned to leave when she felt her wrist being grabbed and pulled back. Haku reached out and held her, pulling her into a warm embrace.

Her heart was already pounding, and this sent her into havoc. He spoke in a calm, almost dreamlike voice.

"I missed you, Chihiro."

She felt all the anxiety and worry flush out of her. Whenever Chihiro imagined them being reunited, she always pictured herself being the one to say 'I missed you'. Never, _never _had she imagined it being the other way around. Tears began to well in her eyes, and Chihiro silently wished she could stay like this forever.

"I…I missed you too." She said as a small teardrop made its appearance on Chihiro's cheek.

He was so warm. She felt his heart beating against hers, showing her that this was no longer some unattainable dream. Here she was, finally in a place where she knew she belonged, with the best friend she knew she belonged with.

They separated immediately after hearing a womanly voice behind them.

"Awwwwww!" Rin said exaggeratedly, wishing she had a camera. She had come up there with a plate of food; she must have been about to deliver it to Yubaba. "Sorry to interrupt, guys, I know you must have a lot to catch up on," she said with a giggle, "But, Sen, we have to get your apron ready for tomorrow."

_Of all the times to show up, _Chihiro grumbled in her head.

Chihiro quickly turned to Haku. His face was different from his usual stern, emotionless expression. His mouth was upturned into a light smile; his eyes sparkling as bright as she had ever seen them.

She had so much more to say, but she didn't have the time.

"I'll see you later, Haku." She said with the most genuine smile she had felt in years. He waved in response as Rin pulled Chihiro away with her.

As he saw her being dragged away by Rin, he was the happiest he had felt in ages. Haku had so many questions flooding his head.

_Did I really just tell her I missed her?_

He recalled the awkward silence as they had stood alone, too overwhelmed to say anything. Although he hadn't meant to say it out loud, he finally told her what he had wanted to tell her for years. He missed her, and now she was back.

Without him knowing, a smile cracked through his features as he thought of her staying here permanently. It's as though the 6 years had suddenly evaporated, and all that mattered was here and now.

Haku still had thousands of questions without answers, like _why_ she was here, but he was so happy, he didn't care enough to answer them. All he knew was that he would be there for Chihiro and protect her, through thick and thin, no matter what.


	8. 8 - Moonlight Lamentations

**Hey everyone! Last night, I posted 2 chapters with a challenge for you guys to get to 300 views by morning. And guess what? I woke up this morning with 368 views! You guys are fantastic! So, as a little thank you, I'm posting an extra chapter this week. Please be sure to read this one, Haku's backstory is in this chapter, and I don't think you guys will be disappointed ;) this chapter was actually a little emotional for me to write, you guys may discover why as you continue to read on. Anyway, I'll be posting several more chapters in a week or so. As always, follow the story, leave a review and favorite! Thanks everyone!**

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Now in the girls' quarters, only the two women were present. On their way, Rin had grabbed their dinner from the kitchens, deciding to take her break early.

Rin immediately objected after finding out that Chihiro would be taking Haku's old position of apprentice.

"Sen, you don't have to do this! You'll get yourself killed!" Rin said with serious worry for her friend. Just like Haku, Rin also felt it was her job to protect her. She didn't like Chihiro being where she knew she couldn't help her.

This display only made Chihiro smile. "Don't worry about me so much, Rin. Yubaba says that if there are any jobs that require me to leave the bathhouse, Haku would be coming with me. I'll be fine," she said with a smile.

The thought of dragon boy going with Chihiro made Rin get a mischievous smile on her face.

_All that time alone, huh?_ Rin thought with a chuckle. But, jokes aside, she truly was glad that Chihiro was back again; not just for her sake, but Haku's. Every day since she had left, Haku would spend his days alone, scrubbing tubs, barely talking, avoiding contact with everyone unless absolutely necessary.

Rin decided to change the subject.

"Ok, girl-talk time. Tell me everything about your world. What are your friends like? OH, and the boys, what are the boys like?!" Rin said excitedly.

Chihiro didn't know what to say. The truth is, she didn't have any friends _at all_, let alone a boyfriend. She answered truthfully.

"Nah, I don't really like anyone in my world," she said straightforwardly. This got Rin excited.

"Oh, so you've still got the hots for that dragon, right?" Rin said before bursting into laughter.

"Absolutely not! We're just friends, seriously." Chihiro said, her cheeks revealing her embarrassment.

But, embarrassing as it was, it was the truth.

She remembered the day that Kamaji said that it was 'true love' that saved Haku's life. Chihiro was confused the first time she heard this, but with time, she began to understand what those words truly meant. She loved Haku; that was for sure. In which way she loved him was what she still didn't know.

Chihiro was brought out of her thoughts by Rin laughing with her dinner in her mouth. "HA! As if I believe that. Ever since you left," she took another bite of her meat bun, "that boy has been sulking every day, scaring us all to death. That hug outside Yubaba's office was the first sign I've seen in the past 6 years that he even _has_ a heart."

_She must be messing with me, _she thought. _Haku didn't miss me that badly. _

They ate in silence for a few more minutes; legs hanging off the balcony, overlooking the ocean. The picturesque moon shone down upon the sea, every ripple glistening. Chihiro had never realized just how beautiful it was.

She was so distracted by the scene before her that she nearly jumped when Rin spoke.

"Alright, its lights off for you, Sen, you've got a big day tomorrow." Rin said, trying to hide how nervous she was for the girl. "Try and get some rest."

A bell rang throughout the bathhouse, signifying the end of everyone's shift. Several moments later, workers began to pile into the women's quarters. They were all getting ready for bed.

Everyone else had fallen asleep, but Chihiro was having a difficult time calming down.

_I wonder what my parents must think, _she thought to herself. She'd been missing now for hours.

_They must have called the police by now. I wonder how long they'll search for me before they give up._

An image of her mother crying and her father worried suddenly popped into her head. She didn't know how it was possible, but that moment had changed her mood from absolute bliss to soul-crushing guilt.

But, being there in the Spirit World was everything she had ever wanted, so why couldn't she just let them go?

_Stop thinking about it,_ she chided. _The more you think, the worse it gets._

Try as she might, it was as if her mind were permanently glued to the topic. She thought of all the times she had moved to new cities, how both of her parents worked overtime just to put her into the best schools they could manage. All they wanted was for her to be happy. Chihiro was happy now, but she couldn't stop feeling as though she had betrayed her family in the process.

Chihiro subconsciously reached her hand into her pocket, locating the lock of hair she had put there earlier that morning. She had hoped it would reassure her that what she was doing was the right thing, but it wasn't working.

At this rate, she would never be able to sleep if she didn't think this through. What she needed right now was to be alone and sort through her thoughts. Eventually, she decided to go out to the garden. As quietly as she could, Chihiro stood up from her futon and exited the room, trying her best not to wake any of the workers.

She knew every step to the garden. Remembering how Haku had led her there after seeing her parents in the pig pen, that garden held a special place in her heart.

Chihiro saw the exact spot where Haku had given her rice cakes, and let her cry over how scared she was. She had felt so comforted when he put his hand on her shoulder; it made her feel as if she weren't alone anymore. The thought never occurred to her, but it truly was the first time she had ever let her wall down, and let somebody in.

Caught in her reverie, she hadn't noticed that someone was already standing there.

"Couldn't sleep?" Haku said calmly. He was sitting by the hedges of hydrangeas with his legs crossed. He seemed to have been there for a while before she had shown up.

Her heart began to pound. _Oh no, did I interrupt something? How long has he been here?_

"I'm so sorry, Haku! I didn't see you out here; I hope I didn't interrupt anything. I'll go find somewhere else." She stammered, beginning to turn back towards the bathhouse.

His eyes widened in shock as he realized what she was thinking."No, no, don't go! This is where I go to think, too." He said, motioning for her to sit down.

She walked over to where he sat. Once on the ground, she thought it would be best to make small talk. "It's so funny. I remember sitting in this exact place 6 years ago with you. It somehow doesn't feel real, that I'm actually back." She said, almost in a dreamlike state.

He agreed with her. "I know. Ever since the day I took you here, I would come back to this garden every time I had a lot on my mind." He paused, looking at her. "Which reminds me, why exactly _are_ you back?"

She hadn't been expecting such a question. Taking a deep breath, she realized that now was the time that she needed to come clean; painful as it was.

Chihiro explained to him how she had dreamt of her leaving the Spirit World every day for years, and how the dreams haunted her. She spoke of how after waking up hundreds of times with tears running down her face, she had to get away. She skipped the part where she changed the ending of her dream; she felt that might be awkward for Haku to hear.

Haku sat there and listened, finally getting answers to so many of his questions. She _was _in pain not being in the Spirit World, just as he was in pain not having her there.

_Stop it, _Haku reprimanded himself. _Don't dwell on the past. She's here now, and that's all that matters._

Eventually, Chihiro's voice began to shake as she brought up leaving her parents, the note she had written, and finally saying goodbye. This was the very topic she wanted to avoid, but she was so invested in her recount of the last few years that all bets were off.

After Chihiro told most of her story, she paused; her face suddenly clouded with sadness. As she spoke, her voice changed from solemn to downright heartbroken.

"I miss them." She said, voice quivering, staring at the floor. Her eyes were locked on a rock in front of them, but anyone could see that she was in another world.

Haku secretly wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around her and tell her that everything would be alright, that she was here now, and that he'd protect her from ever feeling like this , he dared not overstep his boundaries.

_That didn't stop you the last time we were here_, he recollected. He quieted that voice when he noticed that Chihiro had paused.

Chihiro looked up quickly and saw just who she was talking to. She had almost forgotten that Haku was there, listening to every word as she bore her soul to him.

"I'm sorry," She said quickly, "I didn't mean to say so much…" She said, suddenly embarrassed.

This made Haku smile. He liked that she was so open with him. So much had happened in the past 6 years that he wasn't even aware of, and he was elated to know that she still trusted him enough to tell him everything.

"Don't be sorry, you've been through more than anyone should ever go through. I understand how you feel about your parents; I went through a similar situation with my parents as well." Haku figured that if there was one person he could trust with his own story, it would be her. He took a deep breath, not sure where to start.

"I was born in a sea-faring nation, named Piscanem. My father was a very powerful dragon spirit who worked as a Magistrate; my mother, a beautiful singer at the time. My parents and I lived in a palace as a very wealthy and powerful family," he said, looking at Chihiro, who was now listening to every word. Her intense expression filled his stomach with butterflies.

"I loved my father very much. He was strong and well respected but many, always seeking justice and defending those who couldn't defend themselves. I spent most of my life in training to become his successor. Every night I would look at the moon and hope that one day; I could be just like him."

Chihiro smiled at the thought of a little Haku running around beside his father. Her smile made him warm inside. With a sigh, he continued.

"One day, my father was helping me train in combat," He continued. "I had finally gotten very skilled at my sword, and my father congratulated me," he said, smiling at the memory. He was so invested into the story; he had almost forgotten Chihiro was there.

"He told me how proud he was of me, and said that someday I would be a better swordsman than he was." His face took on a new expression, one completely devoid of his normally stern stare.

"The next day, a criminal broke into our house, drunk and furious. He had murdered a girl in town who refused to marry him, and my father had ordered several weeks previously that he should be locked up for the rest of his life." Chihiro could see his eyes darken in the moonlight as he continued.

"We were training late that night inside the gym. The drunken criminal burst into the room, his blade in hand, his eyes set on my father, whose back was turned against him. He saw nothing, yet I saw everything." He said, flinching. "I saw the blade go straight through his chest, yet I was too weak to move a muscle in defense. I could have saved him." Haku paused, angry at himself.

"I unsheathed my sword and killed the man who killed my father, but by then, it was too late. Days, weeks, years later; I blamed myself for my father's death. My mother, too overcome with grief from the loss of her husband, killed herself."

Haku was obviously getting upset. Chihiro, seeing her best friend suffering, unknowingly put her hand on his shoulder. Her touch made his tension dissipate. Haku took a deep breath before continuing.

"I had thought, back then, that I was to blame for it all. I was a monster. I didn't want to be the reason for so much pain anymore, and so I ran from my home as fast as I could, until I found the bathhouse. Yubaba took me in, gave me a contract, and I began my new life. Although I had escaped my problem, I continued to feel guilty until one day; I awoke from a dream where my father told me that it was alright. He told me he was proud of me, that he loved me, and that he never blamed me. He told me it was time to move on."

He turned to Chihiro, looking her straight in the eyes. "None of this is your fault, Chihiro. I know the pain you're feeling all too well, but don't make the same mistake I did." Chihiro's eyes began to water as he finished. "Don't spend your life focusing on the 'what ifs". The past is in the past, and you don't need to burden yourself with it anymore."

This was too much for Chihiro. Her eyes filled with water to the brim, until one by one, tears began to fall. Then came the sobbing. Haku, knowing her pain, put his arm around her, letting her lean her head on his chest.

He wished he could have been there in the human world to help her deal with all of her sorrow. In a way, he blamed himself. If only he had known 6 years ago what pain she would be feeling today… he wouldn't have let her leave so easily.

For a long while, both of them sat there, staring at the moon, until Chihiro spoke up.

"Haku," she said softly, her eyes wide and sparkling, "Thank you for telling me. I can only imagine how painful that was to relive, I'm sorry for making you do that." He looked at her in shock, for felt at peace more than anything, now that he had finally been able to tell someone.

"Don't be sorry, Chihiro. It all happened 50 years ago. Time has healed my wounds, but yours are still fresh. I said what I said because you needed to hear it," he said seriously. Haku waited a moment.

"I haven't told anyone that story. Everyone assumes I just showed up mysteriously, and I'm honestly glad that someone knows now. I'm even happier knowing that that someone is you." He said, both of them smiling at each other.

Chihiro's eyelids began to feel heavy. Tonight was an emotional night, and it had taken its toll on her. Seeing her begin to nod off, Haku walked her back to her quarters.

"Thank you for everything, Haku." Chihiro said outside her door with a yawn.

"Thanks for everything, too," He responded with sincerity. "Tomorrow's your first day, try to get some rest. Meet me right here tomorrow, we have our first assignment in the morning."

Chihiro was too tired to do anything else but nod. Shutting the door, she walked to her futon carefully. Having relieved her heart of so many things troubling her, she fell into a dreamless sleep almost in an instant.


	9. 9 - A Twist of Fates

**AUTHOR'S NOTE~ Sorry, everyone, for the unexpected break in my writing! I could explain my reasons, but honestly, I should have tried harder to find time to write. I apologize. I will try to be more frequent with my updates. Anyways, thank you again for all of my supporters. More to come soon, I promise. Without further ado, here is Chapter 9, ****A twist of fates!**** Please favorite and follow, and leave a review if you can!**

Chihiro awoke to a pounding on the wooden entryway. She sat up immediately, taking note that the entire room was empty of all yunas. The sun was shining brightly, which could only mean one thing; she had overslept.

"—Chihiro?" She heard a male voice inquire.

_Crap… that must be Haku!_ She thought, suddenly embarrassed.

"Sorry, Haku!" She said semi-groggily. "I overslept!"

You could almost feel Haku rolling his eyes from outside the room. "No kidding. Hurry up and put on your apron, you are _not _starting your first day of work _late_." He hollered, sounding vaguely like Chihiro's mother. But, from the other side of the door, Haku was smiling at the young girl's silliness.

With no time to spare, she snatched her apron from the side of her futon. Slipping the rough cotton over her skin, she took a moment to look herself through in the mirror.

The skin under her eyes, she noticed, was still puffy from the night before. But, something else about her image made her mind wander.

Years before, when trying on her uniform for the first time, she had looked like she was wearing a pillow case. She had no curves, she was short; and more than _anything_, she was scrawny. But much like the day before when trying on her white and green shirt with pink shorts, she noticed just how much she had grown. She had a waist now; a tiny one, at that. Her hips were noticeable, but not protruding awkwardly like many other girls in her class. Chihiro felt like she had definitely changed over the years.

Taking slightly too long to marvel at the wonder of time and its many changes, she heard Haku yell again through the door.

"Jeez, I'm coming!" She countered, walking briskly to the door. Opening it, she saw Haku in his classic uniform, which was similar to hers; only white and teal. He stood there with an impatient look on his face, and he tried his best not to take notice of her puffy, unintentionally emotional eyes, which were obviously remnants of the night before.

"Finally," He groaned, hoping she didn't notice his sympathetic look. "If you were any later, I might have slammed your door down." He said a little bit too harshly.

_Well, he's certainly acting strangely this morning._

Shaking off his last remark, she followed him through the bathhouse to the elevators. Pulling the outside lever, Haku let her step in front of him into the shuttle.

After pulling the lever to the right, just as Chihiro remembered, they stood in silence. Chihiro felt a certain awkwardness after remembering what had taken place night before. Haku had opened himself up completely to her, yet she could find no words to accurately portray her feelings. Haku, feeling the same way, finally spoke up; locking his gaze to a nonspecific point on the wall.

"Chihiro… were you able to sleep at all after talking in the garden?" He said hesitantly. The truth is, he worried about his friend for hours after saying goodnight. He had wanted more than anything to know that she was alright.

This question helped break the ice for Chihiro.

_Haku is… worried about me? _She thought, avoiding the sudden warm sensation in her belly.

"I slept very well." She paused, trying to think of the right words to say. No words she could muster were enough to tell him how thankful she was.

"Haku?" She asked, finally getting the courage she needed.

He turned his piercing eyes towards her, sending a chill down her spine. "Thank you again for saying all the things you did. I needed it, and I promise, your secret is safe with me." Chihiro said, looking at him from the corner of her eye. Chihiro knew if she made direct eye contact again, she would freeze up and be unable to give her thanks seriously.

But, Chihiro also felt she had to apologize. "I'm sorry," She added, "I really don't know what had gotten into me. I promise, I'm not normally that emotional." Chihiro added, the shade of her cheeks revealing her embarrassment.

You could see the effect this had on Haku. He was much less tense; able to look at Chihiro normally without any sense of hesitation.

"No—I should be thanking you," He said politely. "I somehow felt at peace, being able to come clean about my back story," Haku paused, "Out of everyone I know, you were definitely the one I trusted the most with it. It was simply coincidental that it had applied to yours as well." He said, suddenly yet subtly bashful. But, he wasn't finished. "And please, don't apologize. Even the strongest out of us deserve to cry."

Once again, Haku had said the perfect thing to make Chihiro tear up.

_Even the strongest out of us deserve to cry._ She repeated internally. This phrase, as cliché as it may sound, hit home for her. She had always tried her best to be strong, and as a result, despised every time she had broken down. Chihiro had thought it made her look weak, but Haku seemed to think differently.

By then the elevator had finally reached the top floor. The two wasted no time getting to Yubaba's office. Before either of them could open the gigantic wooden entrance, it swung open on its own. A bodiless voice boomed as if right in front of them.

"FINALLY. One minute and twenty three more seconds more, and you two would have been late. I trust I won't need to tell you what will happen if I ever find you two late, will I?" Yubaba's voice boomed. Unknowingly, both Haku and Chihiro's bodies tensed.

Without response, the two walked down the hall that led to Yubaba's office. Years ago, something like this would have terrified poor Chihiro. But, having Haku by her side somehow made all of this fear vanish.

Now in the office, the pair immediately saw Yubaba at her desk, surrounded with an endless supply of miscellaneous papers.

Trying his best not to interrupt or provoke her anger, Haku spoke. "Yubaba, what is our task for today?" He said. Yubaba glared at both of them seriously.

"Oh, Haku," Yubaba mused, "you were always never one to beat around the bush." Getting that joke out of the way, her eyes hardened.

"Both of you had better listen up." Yubaba began, strolling silently around the room. "My niece is coming to town, and she will be staying here, in the bathhouse. Her name is Akane Kimiko, and she belongs to one of the most wealthy and influential families in the Spirit World."

Something in the way she spoke struck Chihiro with the slightest tinge of fear. Yubaba sensed this, but continued. "I need you two to accompany her around the bathhouse, and serve her for the duration of her visit. I want you both to take heed that if any of her needs is not met and _exceeded, _I will make your death a painful one." Yubaba said, singling her glare at only Chihiro. This sent a wave of fear through her, shaking her to the bones.

Chihiro, still filled with concealed terror, had only one question. "How long will she be staying?" She muttered this, trying to hide her hesitance.

Yubaba stared at her, with an almost defeated expression on her wrinkly face. "That is the one thing I don't know, Sen." This was the first comment Chihiro had heard from Yubaba that wasn't coated with sarcasm and malice, which somehow frightened Chihiro even more.

In the meanwhile, Haku stood next to Chihiro; his inner cogs grinding, trying to figure out how all of this would work out. His silence certainly wasn't helping lighten the mood.

Before any of them could respond, Yubaba continued. "Sen, go with Rin down to the lobby and begin preparations for Akane's arrival. She should be here within the hour." Yubaba motioned for her to leave. "And you, Haku, stay behind. There's one more thing I'd like to bring up with you."

Chihiro had no idea what was going on, but quickly exited the room. This left only Haku and the old woman inside the office.

"Have a seat, boy." Yubaba said, not attempting to hide the malice in her voice.

Haku looked at her questioningly. "Is there something else you needed?"

"Haku," Yubaba said slowly. "Take heed of my words. There is one more thing I need to tell you about Akane."

Yubaba's seriousness put Haku on edge. He had been at this bathhouse for years, but never had the old woman taken on this tone. He listened.

"She has expressed interest in you, specifically. You two shall be wed within the year."


	10. 10 - New Feelings, Part 1

The world seemed to drop from under Haku's feet. He had to take a moment to make sure he had heard the woman correctly.

_I'm… getting married? To Akane? _ He had heard of people having arranged marriages before, but never had he imagined he would be part of one himself.

_No… this can't be. _

It seemed absolutely preposterous. He didn't even know the girl, for God's sake. How could he be expected to marry her? What about Chihiro? If he were married, what would become of her?

He pictured Chihiro, standing alone, cleaning the big tubs. He played that image in his mind on loop, and it broke his heart. Something seemed very wrong.

Her face. She looked so alone, so without purpose.

_If I'm off and married… that means Chihiro will be here, all alone, _he answered himself. Haku stood there remembering the lonely look she had on her face, sobbing in the garden the night before. In the 6 years he had spent without her, he had looked just like his imaginary Chihiro; alone, without purpose.

When he saw her for the first time, yesterday, he decided then and there that he would never spend another moment without her by his side. Certainly, he didn't mean to _marry_ Chihiro, but he knew that if he were to be married to another woman, he would be forced to move in with that woman's family. He couldn't do that to himself, it would surely break both his heart and Chihiro's.

The words seemed to flow from his mouth before he had even considered it.

"Absolutely not, Yubaba. I don't care who that girl is, but I will _not_ marry her," he said, deadly serious. Instead of having a desired effect on Yubaba, she was sent into a wave of cackling.

"—HA-HA-HA, I thought you might say that, you glorified lizard." She said, showing off her fiercest grin. "Allow me to elaborate further. If you do _not_ marry my niece, Haku, I will strike your human down faster than you can say 'I do'. Are we at an understanding?" She sneered.

This open threat towards Chihiro infuriated Haku beyond words. His eyes quickly changed their shade from their sparkling jade, to a cloudy, steely grey. When Haku spoke, his voice took on a new tone. It was dark, like the very essence of fury itself.

"How DARE you bring Chihiro into this." He growled. "You know just as well as I do that she has _nothing to do with this._ I suggest you reconsider." He said, subtly reciprocating a threat.

A wind began to howl throughout the room, making Haku's hair begin to sway.

If Yubaba were frightened at all, she certainly didn't show it. Unlike the response most people would have, she only guffawed harder.

"Oh, come on, dragon. We both know your bark is bigger than your bite." She challenged, trying to provoke Haku to take the first swing. Haku knew that the minute he tried to attack, he would find Chihiro dead somewhere in the bathhouse. He forced himself to calm down, despite how happy he would be to rip out Yubaba's throat.

His eyes finally returned to their normal shade, the wind without a source finally stilling itself. Yubaba noticed this and sneered.

"Good, glad to see you came to your senses," She added sarcastically, "But still, I am not budging from my previous ultimatum. Either you marry Akane, or your precious 'Chihiro' will perish." Yubaba concluded, without a hint of guilt in her voice.

This surprised even Haku. He hadn't realized that Yubaba was capable of something so cruel. He bit his tongue, trying to suppress another remark, when suddenly an urgent pounding was heard on the door to the office.

A rough, manly voice that could only be one of the frog workers spoke with urgency.

"Yubaba, I'm sorry to interrupt. Akane's carriage was spotted about 15 minutes away from the entrance!" This new information immediately ended any train of thought coming from both Yubaba or Haku.

The old woman turned to the dragon spirit sharply. "Get Sen, and report to the lobby _immediately. _Instruct her on proper etiquette towards royalty… we wouldn't want that brat making a mess, now would we?" Yubaba sneered, amused at Haku's sudden silence.

Haku paused, choosing his next words wisely.

"We'll continue this later." He said, not attempting to hide his frustration. Yubaba laughed again.

"I'm sure we will, Haku." She smirked.

He closed the office door to find Chihiro standing outside, in the hall. She appeared to be deep in thought. Hopefully, she hadn't heard what Yubaba and him had said. But, for now, all Haku knew was that they had to get downstairs immediately.

"Chihiro?" He said quietly. This snapped her out of whatever she was thinking, and she surprised Haku with one of her smiles.

_Thank goodness, _he thought. _That smile means she didn't hear a thing. _Without words, the two of them made their way downstairs. Just before they had reached the lobby, Chihiro spoke.

"Haku, what did Yubaba need?" She asked innocently.

_That must have been what she was thinking about. She's worried, _he pondered silently. Haku knew it would be best to not say a word about it now, it would only send Chihiro into a frenzy of panic. He couldn't do that to her, especially after what had happened last night.

"Nothing," He lied. "She just stressed how important it was that we not offend Ms. Akane." Even this was enough to make Chihiro worry, as proved by her skin suddenly turning 3 shades whiter.

"Don't worry." He added with a slight chuckle. "Just follow my lead, and don't speak unless spoken two. Do those things, and you'll be fine."

"You promise?" She meekly commented.

"I promise." He returned.

This brief exchange of promises brought both of them back to the day of their goodbye, where Haku had sworn to come meet Chihiro again. This was the same promise that both of them had thought of every day for 6 years, longingly.

Each of them knew that the other had remembered, because the two of them stared at each other a little longer than what would have been normal. As they stared, pain was shared, but also joy. Joy at the opportunity for a new set of promises. Promises that will hopefully remain unbroken this time, now that Chihiro was back.

They were staring at each other, their faces half a foot's distance away from each other, when Rin suddenly popped up behind them, making both Haku and Chihiro snap out of their reverie.

"Woah, guys. Don't stare at each other like that, you're worrying me." She said, only partially joking. At this, both of them separated eye contact immediately; both of them embarrassed.

Suddenly, Haku remembered exactly what it was they were about to do.

"Chihiro—we've got to get downstairs. Akane will be here any second." He said. Chihiro curtly nodded, and like that, they were set at a brisk pace to the lobby. When they entered, they were rewarded with a true spectacle, one Chihiro definitely would not forget for a very long time.

All along the sides of the room were the workers of the bathhouse, all with their faces flattened to the floor, all bowing with respect to a supposed princess who hadn't even arrived yet. With their hands placed in front of them, there lay treasures that made even Haku's jaw drop momentarily.

Chihiro noted the assorted foods: strange cooked animals that she had never seen before, puddings, pies, huge platters of wondrous smelling baked goods, and delicacies that not even Chihiro could guess as to what they were. All of these arranged as an offering to their soon to arrive guest. Then, Chihiro saw, were the jewels. In some of the workers' hands lay strings of pearls, emeralds, rubies; all shining to the point of nearly blinding anyone who dared to stare just a tad too long.

Chihiro was so used to this place being a madhouse, with people yelling right and left, but here, she felt, all of the workers had one mutual goal; to please Ms. Akane. The room was filled with something Chihiro couldn't quite put her finger on. It wasn't so much madness as it was a mixture of anxiety, terror, and respect.

Before she could think any longer, Haku grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze, making the girl's face redden considerably.

Somehow he had known exactly what she was thinking and grew a bit embarrassed, himself. Nevertheless, he held onto her hand, walking to the place where they would wait until they were needed. And not a moment too soon, either.

At that exact moment, a line of musicians began to pile into the room, each with their own unique instrument; none of which were recognized by Chihiro. They stopped in the corner of the room, where they began to play. The song wasn't very fast, but loud and bold. The closest thing Chihiro could compare it to was the music someone might play during a coronation, one that instigated a feeling of importance, but joy at the same time.

By now, all of the workers had stopped bustling about and had returned to their positions. A horse drawn carriage was slowly pulled to a stop directly outside the bathhouse entrance. All noise had ceased.

No one could have guessed that the woman who stepped out of the carriage would be the most beautiful girl any of them had ever laid eyes on.

She couldn't have been much older than Chihiro, because they had similar body types. Her small frame was draped head to toe in wealthy garments. Her dress was of the most vibrant shade of red, with golden detailing. The sparkling gold swirls seemed to move as the girl walked, surrounding her in a cascade of golden flames. She wore no jewelry, but she didn't need to, for she was so beautiful that no one would have noticed if the dress she adorned was a burlap sack.

Her face was as pale as a porcelain doll; her lips a deep, seductive red. Those same lips were set in a natural pout, which gave character to her entire being. Her hair was so blonde; it was as if each strand were spun of the finest gold.

Although the rest of her was beautiful, the most intriguing part of her face was her eyes. They shone brilliant silver, like an ocean on a gloomy day, verging on a storm. But, those eyes had more depth the longer you gazed at them. They were eyes that hid, yet could reveal the truth in a moment's notice. Those same eyes that could instantly calm you, but had the potential to instill fear into the deepest, darkest parts of you. One look from her would tell you that she was not one to be trifled with.

Haku was not as distracted by Akane's beauty as everyone else. In fact, the mere sight of her made him uncomfortable. He didn't like having her around, especially with his newfound knowledge of a potential wedding. Haku knew that now that this girl was here, Chihiro would be on edge and everyone would be walking on eggshells, all doing their best to please Akane.

Both Haku and Chihiro were so distracted by their own thoughts, they hadn't realized that their hands were still intertwined. Even more so, they hadn't even realized that everyone in the room was bowing to Akane, except them. Haku subtly pulled at Chihiro's hand. Once she glanced over, Haku gave her a look as if telling her to follow his lead. He then let go of her hand, and put his knees to the ground, assuming the same position as the other workers. Chihiro immediately followed.

The only sound that could be heard in the room was the sound of Akane's feet slowly walking down the path made for her by the workers. Suddenly, the sound of her shoes against the wood finally stopped. The only things Haku and Chihiro could see in their current position were the wooden paneling beneath them, and a pair of feet standing right in front of them.

Chihiro began to get nervous. Maybe Akane had noticed they were slightly late in bowing to her. Had they offended her already? All she could do was stay there; completely frozen, taking comfort in the fact that whatever happened next, her best friend would be by her side.


	11. 11 - New Feelings, Part 2

When the silence was almost too much for Chihiro to bear, a soft, warm voice was heard throughout the lobby.

"Nigahayami Kohaku Nushi, Chihiro Megumi Ogino, you may rise."

_I thought my mother was the only other person who knew my middle name, _Chihiro thought. _How did Akane find out?_

Following Akane's orders, they both slowly began to stand. Finally seeing Akane up close and personal, Chihiro felt slightly less scared in her presence. Akane was shorter than herself, immediately making her less intimidating. She also had a slight smile on her face, exuding a feeling of warmth.

_You can do this, _Chihiro thought. _Just stay calm and follow her orders._

"If you two could follow me, I think I'd like to be shown around the bathhouse." Akane said pleasantly.

Both Haku and Chihiro nodded their heads and took the lead, beginning the tour. Haku did all of the talking; Chihiro only standing by and watching as Haku handled the situation with eloquence and grace.

"—And this is your room, Akane." Haku concluded. They had finally made their way throughout the entire bathhouse; the kitchen, the main bath area, the private bathing quarters for their more 'secretive' guests, and they had even shown Akane the sleeping quarters for the female workers, if ever she needed to talk to someone right away.

Akane turned towards the two workers, standing side by side. She could tell immediately that Chihiro was frightened of her, and it amused her. She could also see by the look on his face that Haku had taken a protective role over the the girl. She thought she might take advantage of the situation.

"Thank you, Haku. But before you leave, I have one more request." She said, looking him in the eye.

"Yes, Miss Akane?" He said whilst hiding the doubt in his voice.

"Could you go down to the kitchens and fetch my meal?" Akane asked politely.

He nodded curtly and turned to leave, but not before giving a reassuring look to Chihiro, who was obviously frightened at being alone with such a powerful figure. But, Haku had faith that Chihiro would do her best not to offend Akane in any way, especially after she had watched the way he had acted around the woman during the tour. This would be the test to see if she could manage it.

After he had reached the farthest point of the hallway, Akane turned to Chihiro. The toned she used was that of amusement.

"So, Miss Chihiro," She started off in a cheerful tone, "I noticed you wouldn't look at me throughout the entire duration of the tour. Is there something you wanted to say to me?"

If it were possible for Chihiro to get any paler, she certainly did at this inquiry. Without thinking, her defense mechanisms went into overdrive.

"No!" She said almost apologetically, "I mean no, ma'am. I meant no disrespect," She concluded, barely hiding her fear.

This made Akane laugh. "Hahaha! You're very interesting, Chihiro." She said with a smile. "Now, I don't know what you have heard about me, but you don't need to be so nervous in my presence. If there's something on your mind, you needn't fear that I'll strike you down." She concluded with a chuckle.

This sudden reassurance set Chihiro's racing heart at ease. After a slight pause, Chihiro began to speak again.

"Well, you see, ma'am… I couldn't help but wonder how you knew my full name. I had thought only my mother and I knew… so I was only curious-" her voice had begun to fade out, having realized how forward she was being.

"No, please!" This time, Akane interrupted. "It's only natural that you'd be curious! You see, Chihiro, you're quite famous, here in the Spirit World." This made Chihiro's eyes wide.

_Famous? _

Akane continued. "Judging by your confusion, I'm guessing you hadn't realized. After you discovered who exactly Haku was, 6 years ago, word spread like wildfire. Hundreds upon thousands of spirits outside these walls saw you as a model for courage and hope. Some even saw you as the very essence of love itself; commonly found inside us all."

_There's no way… 'essence of love itself'? _Chihiro was taken aback, but before she could voice her shock, Akane surprised her again.

"Your _biggest_ supporters were those in the popular sea-faring nation, Piscanem."

This was perhaps the biggest shocker that had come out of Akane's mouth. Chihiro knew that name sounded familiar… she just couldn't place it from where it came. Her mind suddenly switched to last night's episode out in the garden. Chihiro remembered Haku's story.

"—_I was born and raised in a land by the ocean, named Piscanem." _She recalled Haku voicing.

_Haku's own nation knows who I am?! This can't be… this isn't possible._

All of this information had finally taken effect on her. Chihiro's knees began to feel weak, and she had to lean on the wall behind her for support.

"Are you quite alright, Chihiro?" Akane voiced. The look in her eyes was a look of comfort, but there was something hidden inside those silver orbs. Chihiro couldn't recognize what she saw. She assumed it was the lighting, playing tricks on her.

"Yes, ma'am, I'm alright," She breathed. "It's just hard to believe that Haku's entire homeland knows I exist…" Chihiro concluded, unsure of how to feel. She had finally regained stability, and was standing on her own now.

Akane took notice of the sudden pink shade on her cheeks.

" _'—knows I exist'?!" _Akane playfully mocked. "Of _course _they do, Chihiro! To them, why, you're they're champion! You had found the lost son of the Nigahayami family!" Although the words she said were cheerful, something in her voice frightened Chihiro. With every passing word, she sounded more and more like she was angry about something.

Akane's voice suddenly turned serious, with large quantity of bitterness. "They had even wanted _you_ to be Haku's future wife." She concluded.

This was not the first time Chihiro felt like she could faint, but none of the other times were ever this severe. Her knees nearly buckled, and her face quickly turned bright, tomato red.

_Haku's WIFE?_ _He would never… __**I**__ could never… _Her mind suddenly flooded with emotions.

They were only friends, right? Sure, Chihiro had had her girlish fantasies after leaving the Spirit World, but she had known even back then that a situation where Haku and Chihiro were married could never be. Could it?

As these thoughts whirled through her like a tornado, Akane was thinking to herself, as well.

_Does this stupid mortal really not know of our engagement? _She thought. If she truly didn't, she needed to take this chance, or else things were bound to get complicated later on.

"Chihiro?" Akane asked meekly, trying her best to imitate a sweet, innocent girl. "Can I ask you something, from one girl to another?"

Poor Chihiro was far too distraught and distracted to catch on to Akane's plan.

Chihiro's mind was in a haze, but she put her own thoughts to the side and nodded quickly. "Absolutely, what's wrong?"

Akane took a deep breath before she began her speech.

"Well," She started off, faking bashfulness. "Haku and I have been engaged to be married since we were children, as arranged by our parents." She took hidden delight at Chihiro's immediately stunned gape.

"The only problem is," She continued, "He doesn't know about it yet." This, on its own, was enough to make Chihiro's head spin, but Akane wasn't finished. She had to deliver the finishing blow.

"I need your help in making him fall in love with me." She concluded, still enjoying every moment of saying the words that she knew would break the other girl's heart.

Instantaneously, the air seemed to turn into concrete as Chihiro took a moment to digest what had just been said. She felt so many emotions, many of them she had never experienced before. Confusion, she could label immediately.

But, no, there was something else inside her heart. This emotion was something she had never before experienced, but had heard described to her many times by those around her. Something so painful, far too painful to be ignored.

It suddenly dawned on her what this excruciating feeling was.

Heartbreak.

_I'm in love with Haku._

This realization was enough to bring tears to her eyes. Suddenly, all the pain she had felt whenever she dreamt of Haku, all the times she had looked lovingly to her stuffed dragon at home, all the tears she had cried over a pain in her heart she could not fulfill; all of them made sense. She was in love.

_Come on Chihiro, knock it off. You can't love Haku, he only sees you as a friend. I mean, come on, look how happy she is! _The voice in her head sounded so strong, but she felt so weak.

Chihiro thought about these things, looking over to the girl standing beside her. Her mouth was spread in an ear to ear grin; she was obviously overjoyed, probably from the engagement.

_They've been engaged since they were children… I can't. I can't love Haku. I could never bring myself to take away such an incredible feeling from someone else. _

She kept saying this over and over in her head, but it didn't lessen the dull ache she felt in her heart.

Chihiro finally realized she had been staring at the wooden flooring for the past few seconds.

Akane looked at her, entirely satisfied with her reaction. The manipulative woman's mouth had contorted into an evil grin, but the tears in Chihiro's eyes warped her vision to the point where she couldn't notice.

Slowly, one by one, tears began to fall as she stared at the wall with her mouth open. Her entire face was frozen in what anyone else could see was shock, pain, and sorrow.

Suddenly, from behind Akane, Chihiro could hear footsteps, and the sound of a food cart being pushed. She knew exactly who was there, even without seeing his face.

_Oh god, it can't be. Not now. _

She had previously been so caught up in her emotions, she had completely forgotten that Haku would be back at any second. Chihiro suddenly felt embarrassed.

She knew what she had to do; she had to get out. Now. But, before she could make her escape, she had to give Akane her answer.

"Akane." Chihiro said quickly, "I'll…" Her voice cracked ever so slightly. She coughed, clearing her throat. "I'll help you."

At this point, Chihiro was beginning to look rather ill. She managed to get out an "Excuse me…" before breaking out into a sprint, tears streaming, ignoring the flabbergasted looks from both Akane and Haku.

She had enough. All of this was too much for her to take in. Her feet ran as fast as they could; to where, she didn't know.

Akane gasped in synthetic surprise, loving every second of the commotion Chihiro was making. She stood where she was with the smirk on her lips, looking at the frantic Chihiro as she turned the corner of the hallway.

Haku stared at the running girl in absolute shock. He hadn't heard a word that transpired between the two girls, and Chihiro had been running so fast, he was blind to the tears that were falling down her cheeks.

He wanted more than anything to run and catch up with the girl and see what had happened, but he remembered what he was doing in the first place.

"Akane." He said sternly, forgetting his calm composure. "What happened to Chihiro?" His face was worried, but more than what was normal. Akane didn't like it, not one bit.

"Oh, I have no idea!" She responded, playing up her innocent appearance. "I asked her whether or not we could be friends, but something happened to her and she ran off!" She tried her best to fake a look of worry, but it was tinged with sarcasm.

Haku was much harder to fool than that pathetic display. He grit his teeth.

"I don't know if you were the cause of this," He said, barely managing to keep his voice at a calm volume, "But if you were, I guarantee, I will find out."

He turned and began a brisk walk down the hall; completely abandoning his food cart and Akane. This infuriated her. Not one person ever had the guts to speak to to her in that tone, especially not for the petty reason of some flimsy, mortal, weakling.

"You'll regret this, Nigahayami Kohaku Nushi." She swore as Haku faded further into the corridor.


	12. 12 - The Truth

**AUTHOR'S NOTE-IMPORTANT**

**Hello again everyone! Sorry for the lack of updates these past few months, I've been going over previous chapters and proof reading them, adding some things here, taking some things out. **

**In this chapter we get to see a little bit of the more emotional side of Rin, which is a scene that I personally loved writing. **

**Also, please leave more reviews! If not, I might not get the inspiration to continue writing heh heh. I don't know which things are good in my writing and which things aren't, and need the guidance! Suggestions are always welcomed! Anyway, without further ado, here is Chapter 12: The Truth. Thanks again for having patience, and following!**

* * *

Chihiro had to keep running. To where, she didn't know, but she had to keep going.

_I'm in love with Haku, _she kept repeating. _God, how could I be so stupid? And he's even engaged?_

This made her tears flow in a steady stream. No, she didn't think she and Haku would ever get married. She was a human, and he was a Spirit. Something like that could never be, and she was fully aware of that.

But, what hurt the most was that he hadn't even told her. She felt like a fool. Since the moment she had gotten there, he had been so kind and understanding of her situation. He had made her feel welcomed and loved from minute one. How could he have been so calm and collected while hiding such a big secret?

The mere thought made her sick to her stomach.

_How long has this been going on?_ She wondered. _Have I made things worse by coming back?_

Chihiro had never wanted to be a nuisance to Haku, but it appears as though she already had.

_I should never have looked back in that blasted dream. I…I shouldn't even be here. Haku loves someone else, and I've been replaced. _

Chihiro finally noticed that her legs were no longer moving. The girl had no idea where she was, and looked up to try and identify her location.

She had managed to run all the way back to the women's quarters, and was sitting on the balcony, her legs hanging over the sides. The sun was bright, and made the ripples of the vast ocean in front of her glisten.

Normally, on the rare occasion that she _did _cry, Chihiro had always wanted a certain someone by her side to comfort her. Now, all she wanted was to be left alone to her thoughts.

She rested her head on the railing, letting the slow, methodical movements of the ocean's waves gently calm her down. Chihiro played the conversation with Akane over and over in her head, analyzing each word.

"—_You're quite famous in the Spirit World."_

"_-Your _biggest _supporters were those in a popular sea-faring nation, Piscanem."_

"_-You're they're champion."_

"_Why, they had even wanted to you to be his future wife."_

This last quote struck a chord with her.

_Why do they think that I should marry Haku? Don't they know I'm a human? And Haku, he'd never even consider it. He only sees me as a friend. _

She sighed at the thought of him. Her Haku, always projecting his cold appearance to the rest of the world. But, Chihiro could see just how kind and caring he was on the inside. Any woman he chose would be lucky to have such a faithful, understanding partner with such a beautiful soul.

_I don't deserve him, I'm nothing special. _She thought this, comparing herself to Akane.

In her own eyes, Chihiro was average at best. Mouse-brown hair, brown eyes, small lips and an ordinary body. But, Akane had everything a man could ever want. Long flowing blonde hair, striking eyes, and a come-hither attitude; not to mention, wealth. If Haku married Akane, he'd never be in need of anything, which is something she may not be able to provide.

She felt worthless as her eyes began to fill again. Putting her head in her hands, she let the remaining tears make their appearance before quickly brushing them away.

Her mind suddenly pictured a magnificent wedding.

_Haku stood at the front of the procession in a white tuxedo with green detailing, with Akane to his right. She had a gorgeous, flowing white gown. They stood together, hand in hand. Happy._

Although the image greatly saddened her, if that was what Haku truly wanted, she would support him one hundred percent, no matter how much it shattered her heart. She would rather have his happiness than her own, any day.

Just as she had come to this conclusion, Rin burst into the women's quarters.

"Sen? Sen, where are you?" The fox spirit sounded frantic.

"Over here," Chihiro shouted from the balcony. She could tell immediately the reason she had come.

Rin's POV-

After Haku had told me about Chihiro running away, he said I should go find out what was wrong. He then said that he would have done it himself, but he needed to see Yubaba right away.

The urgent tone in his voice scared me half to death. I wasted no time, and began running all the way from the main baths, to Kamaji's boiler room, the gardens, and even the pigpens in hopes of finding that dweeb.

_Where in the name of Kami is she?_ I thought frantically. _Oh, I hope she hasn't gotten herself into too much trouble._

I nearly slapped myself on the forehead when I realized where she would most likely be.

_Didn't I tell her to meet me at the girl's quarters?_

Breaking into a sprint, I ran as fast as I could, nearly breaking down the door once I had gotten there.

"Sen?" I shouted, "Sen, where are you?"

I couldn't see her, but heard her respond from the general direction of the balcony. I slowly walked over, not sure in what state I would find her.

Much to my surprise, there she sat, legs dangling, overlooking the ocean. She appeared to be calm, but I couldn't tell for sure.

"Are… are you alright?" I asked as calmly as I could.

She turned around and gave me a tired smile. Her eyes were puffy and she had been crying, from the looks of it. Looking up at me, her voice was barely above a whisper.

"I'll be fine in a bit, I'm so sorry…" she said, her eyes becoming watery once more.

Hurriedly, I sat down beside her and put my arm around her shoulder. It hurt to see my sister in such bad shape.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"NO," She snapped. "I mean—I'd rather not right now."

She bit her tongue, and I could tell she was nearly at her breaking point.

_I've never seen her this bad,_ I thought to myself. _Oh, she's going to kill me for this later. _Slowly, I grabbed her hand, and she didn't pull away.

Having this physical contact, I could now step fully inside her mind. Chihiro flung her head back and gasped, caught off guard at my sudden entry into her psyche.

From there, I could access all of her memories from the last few hours. I saw Akane grinning evilly at Chihiro, and had to concentrate to hear her words.

"—_They had even wanted you to be his future wife." Akane said, her voice darkening._

Who were they talking about, what was happening? I couldn't process it, but I continued listening.

"_Can I ask you something, from one girl from another?" Her face took on a sickeningly sweet smile, obviously not genuine. Chihiro gawked at her before nodding._

"_Well," She began. "Haku and I have been engaged to be married since we were children, as arranged by our parents."_

I couldn't believe it. I made a mental note to bring that up with that stupid dragon later.

"_I need your help to make him fall in love with me."_

I had to stop there, for I was getting so angry I could hardly control myself. I opened my eyes and saw Chihiro staring at me, she knew now that I had read her mind. She didn't look angry.

General POV-

"THAT LITTLE RAT, HOW DARE SHE SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO YOU?" Rin yelled, bolting from her previously sitting position.

She then realized what a mistake that was, seeing Chihiro begin to cry again.

"Chi…" Rin cooed. "I'm so sorry…"

Chihiro once again had her head in her hands.

"I—I love him…" she stammered, before letting the emotions take control of her. Her shoulders heaved from the waves of sobs coming over her whole body.

Rin once again put her arms around Chihiro, holding her close. She had always known just how the girl felt for Haku, even if she didn't discover it till now. The fox spirit could only imagine just how much pain she was feeling.

"I know you do, Chi," she said soothingly, patting her on the back.

Chihiro continued to sob in her shoulder for several more minutes before Rin spoke again.

"Chi, you know what I did when I held your hand, right?" She said, referring to the mind reading. The girl only nodded.

"I saw the things you thought of before I showed up. How you think that you shouldn't have even come here…" she slowed her words, "…and how you think you're worthless."

Chihiro looked up quickly and saw Rin with a pained expression on her face. She immediately regretted thinking such horrible things. Just as she was about to open her mouth to apologize, she was interrupted.

"—You don't need to apologize, Sen. You can't help the way you feel," The fox spirit added, as she looked at Chihiro with eyes full of sadness. She continued.

"I've worked with Haku now for 50 years," Rin began as she stared off at the horizon, and seemed taken back to a time she could remember vividly. "He just showed up one day, without any reason, and Yubaba took him in. At first, he would never look any of us in the eye when he spoke. He kept his head down, did his work and then escaped to his room until the next day. But, eventually, throughout the years, he began to open up. He'd look directly at us, and he wasn't as timid as he was before… but he was still obviously keeping to himself. He portrayed himself as a cold, unloving person."

At this, Rin took a breath. Chihiro knew exactly what she was talking about… he _did _have the tendency to mask his true feelings around others.

_But he is so much more than he pretends to be,_ she thought. Rin seemed to know exactly what she was thinking, and continued.

"Then you came to us, Chihiro. I don't know what happened, but it was as if your presence unlocked something in him. When Haku came back to the bathhouse with you, to complete Yubaba's final test, it was the first time I had ever seen him smile in all the years I had known him. He was the normal, loving boy that most of us knew he truly was… all because of you, Chi."

_Surely that can't be true,_ Chihiro thought. But, Rin wasn't finished.

"Believe it or not, Chihiro, you changed him," she said, sighing. "But, things changed again once you had left. He had somehow reverted back to how he was when we first met him; quiet, cold and withdrawn. He wasn't eating nearly enough, and walked around all day, aimlessly, without purpose… for 4 straight years."

Chihiro looked up again to see even Rin beginning to tear up.

"One night, he fell asleep by one of the baths due to sleep deprivation. I took his hand… and maybe it was wrong, I don't know… but, I looked inside his mind."

The younger girl gasped and looked at Rin, who only nodded guiltily.

"He cares about you so much, Chihiro… if only you knew. He is never the same when you aren't around. You give him life. And if he knew the way you felt about yourself… worthless and without meaning…. It would break his heart." Rin was getting visibly upset, her hands clenched at her sides, with tears beginning to spill. Chihiro showed the same signs.

"But how?" Chihiro begged. "He has a fiancé, who loves him—"

"BUT HE DOESN'T LOVE HER, CHIHIRO. SHE'S AN EVIL, EVIL WOMAN." Rin kept her face devoid of all emotion, but her tears still continued to fall.

"HE—he didn't even know of the engagement until this morning." She said with desperation. "Please, Chihiro, if you can't see your own worth for your own sake, see it for Haku's. He needs you. You're his best friend in this world and any other."

Before she could say anything else, Chihiro gave her the biggest hug she could muster, both girls crying.

_All these years… I never new the pain I had caused in leaving._

She thought back to the conversation she had with Haku, the other night, about her guilty conscience in leaving her parents.

_Mom, Dad, I'm sorry. I'll be back one day, I promise._


	13. 13 - Starry Serenade

**Hey everyone! Here's a new update, sorry about the long wait! **

****REALLY IMPORTANT, DON'T READ THIS CHAPTER UNLESS YOU'VE READ THIS BOLDED PART**.Later in this chapter, some song lyrics are quoted. These lyrics come from the song "Always With Me", which the is the credit music for Spirited Away, and also the namesake of this fanfiction. Of course, it's the translated song, not the original since it's in japanese... anyway, it might be cool if you listen to the song one time (pull it up on youtube) before reading this chapter. I feel like it makes it a lot more special. But, don't worry, it's not required or anything. Just promise me all of you will look into your hearts when you read the lyrics. Needless to say, I DON'T OWN THOSE LYRICS. **

**Also, we're almost at 3000 views! Thanks to everyone who's viewed the story! And of course, always leave comments! They really are my inspiration to keep writing. Anyways, onward with the story :3 Enjoy!**

After Chihiro had run out of his sight, he had no other choice but to go to Yubaba. Quickly, he sent Rin to find Chihiro and calm her down immediately. He swore to her that once he found out what was going on… he would put it to an end.

Haku had known for years that Yubaba had eyes in every room and hall of the bathhouse for security purposes, and now was the perfect time to utilize that very resource.

After nearly ramming down her door, he expected the witch to send him out immediately from his rude entry. But, his prediction was entirely wrong.

Apparently, the old woman had thought ahead of him, and was already viewing the footage of what had just taken place in the halls, moments before.

There Haku and Yubaba stood, horrified at the scene that unfolded in front of them.

After observing Akane's account of everything that he had attempted to conceal from Chihiro, he could hardly find the words to speak. What was he feeling? Anger? Yes, certainly. Sadness, that he couldn't deliver the news himself? Of course, that's a given. But, no… there was something else buried deep inside his chest. A dull ache, yet an ache that filled him to the brim with adrenaline. This was an entirely new emotion for the dragon spirit.

Embarrassment. Yes, that was it. He should have been the one to tell Chihiro about the legacy she left behind; _he_ should have been the one to tell her _everything._

_But what would that change_? He thought, sulkily. Either way, they would have to part ways once he was wed to that animal. _Both of them_ would once again be put through that excruciating goodbye.

_Akane. _The mere thought of her name was enough to make his blood boil with fury.

He was repulsed to have such a vile, disgusting woman betrothed to him. Someone who had put on such a façade, mere moments beforehand, only to attack Chihiro, like a lion to its prey, once he turned his back.

Chihiro was the only thing in the world that he cared for… he couldn't forgive himself for letting her out of his sight. This was all his fault.

_And now… she's probably crying somewhere in the bathhouse,_ he lamented. _All because of something I could have stopped from happening._

He hadn't realized he was still in Yubaba's office, gaping at the sphere in the center of the room. He couldn't find the words to say to the witch. The only thing he was capable of doing was making brief eye contact with her. But, in that moment, the witch understood everything she needed to.

She sighed and pointed to the door. "Well," she raised her voice, "you'd better go find her! Get out!" Waving her massive hand, the sphere with the footage dissipated into nothingness. Haku curtly nodded and ran out of the room, replaying Akane's words and Chihiro's responses in his head.

Having said goodbye to Rin after their emotional confessions, and promising to have dinner with her later, Chihiro went to the gardens. Rin had told her that Haku was seeing Yubaba about some important business, so she knew that this would be the only place she _wouldn't _run into him.

Exiting the bathhouse, she thought about seeing those bright, exotic flowers only just the night before, when talking to Haku about her parents. But, at that moment, the atmosphere had changed so drastically; it was as if she were discovering this place for the first time in her life.

The sky was a pitch black void, dusted heavily with brilliant, shining diamonds. Not only were the stars out that night, but also they seemed to be swirled with deep, royal-purple waves of light.

_Are those… constellations?_! She thought excitedly. Chihiro had loved astronomy ever since she was a little girl, this made her heart leap in joy.

Surely, her guess must have been correct. Nothing in her world could have ever shone so bright. Just by looking at it, the weight in her heart lightened immediately.

The human girl took her time walking further and further into the thick plants around her. She paid no mind to the direction she was going, and followed only the path her heart chose to take.

Soon, she found that she was no longer just 'wandering' in the gardens. It was as if her feet knew a destination that she herself didn't know.

Chihiro at last looked back and saw just how far she had wandered. The bathhouse was small, in comparison to its usual grand appearance.

But, she didn't worry. Something inside her told her to keep going.

Eventually, she happened upon a massive wall of foliage in front of her. Was this the end of the gardens? Perhaps, but something felt strange. As she looked closer into the leaves, she saw a glowing crack in the middle that reached all the way to the top of the wall.

Chihiro didn't know what she was doing, but some voice inside her seemed to be calling her; _begging_ her to reach out her hand and touch the crevasse. She did it without question.

Just as her fingers found the shining light, she was flung to the floor.

The ground beneath her began to sway. Chihiro thought this might have been due to her impact on the floor…that is, until she saw the trees around her, quaking to their roots.

She did as she was always taught in Japan, whenever someone is caught in an earthquake, and without a moment to lose, she curled into a ball, placing her hands over her neck and head area.

Just as she finished preparing herself for what may come, every movement and tremor in the earth ceased. After waiting a moment, she opened her eyes, and found herself in an unfamiliar area. The only similarity was the sky. Those same brilliant stars stood there, staring back at her.

She knew that she had never seen this place before…yet… it was as if the air around her was filled with something so familiar. The flowers grew to the sides of a narrow, cobblestone path that continued throughout the garden.

The stones of this road were marbled with a milky, pearlescent substance that most would identify as Mother of Pearl.

As her eyes (and soon her feet) traveled down this wondrous path, Chihiro found herself taken to the largest waterfall she had ever seen. The water that glistened against the rocks was crystal clear, reflecting the night sky that surrounded her.

Chihiro sat on a rock nearby, hypnotized by the scenery and all of its grandeur.

_Just what is this place? _She thought._ It's so beautiful… why on earth is it so hidden?_

Not only were the visuals beautiful, but the entire situation. The last few ours were utter turmoil for the girl, but somehow, this place wiped every trace of sadness away from her mind.

The flowers swayed in the breeze, seeming to welcome Chihiro to this brilliant hideaway. The flowing waters seemed to sing in her ears.

_Wait a minute, _she thought. _These waters… are they actually singing?_

Her mind wasn't playing tricks on her, either. The song was soft like a lullaby, yet melodic and lively. She listened closely, trying to decipher the words that rang through her head.

_"You call out to me from somewhere within my fragile soul_

_Your voice like fantasy, telling me to keep on dreaming_

_Why speak of sorrow, or life's oh so painful woes?_

_Instead let those same lips, sing a gentle song of love._

_Never forget these memories so they may forever guide you_

_Heed their murmur, the current of life streaming through_

_Even if your dreams break, nostalgia will always remain_

_To remind you that those same dreams glimpsed at all that is precious, dear, and true."_

The voice belonged to a man; yet it was projected from the waters. Chihiro was overcome with awe… she knew this voice. She knew it so well that it killed her that she couldn't place its owner. It was the same voice she could sometimes hear singing in her dreams… in her head…

"I see you've found my hideaway," a voice behind her called.

Whirling behind her, she saw Haku standing there with a curious expression on his face.

"Haku… Th-this is yours?" She asked, gesturing around her.

He smiled. "Yes, I built this about right after you went back to the human world," He said, masking his sadness. "How do you like it?" Haku noted how her eyes shone as she continued to stare at the waterfall in silence. Her expression was answer enough.

"I told you how my mother was a singer, right, Chihiro?" He said calmly, sitting beside her on the rock. She nodded, looking at the water as it flowed seamlessly into the pebbles on the waterbed.

"She taught me to sing, just like her." He added, also looking into the water. "And these waters," he continued, "They mimic any song they hear."

At this, Chihiro turned sharply in his direction, her eyes aflame. "You… you wrote this? This is _you _singing?"

Her expression made Haku want to erupt with laughter. "What… is it that bad?" He said with a smirk.

"NO!" She nearly shouted, grabbing his arm. "Haku… it's so beautiful. No, beautiful can't even describe it. I…I don't know what to say."

It was as if she were complementing the deepest, most secretive part of his soul.

The intensity in her eyes tore away any mask Haku had been wearing. Only she had the power to do this to him, he thought. Without taking a moment to consider his actions, the next words flowed as smoothly as the water in front of them.

"I certainly hope so, because I wrote it for you."

Chihiro's heart began to melt. _Don't misunderstand his words, Chihiro_, _remember all that Akane said._

"Haku—"

"No, Chihiro, I need to speak," He said, his eyes locked on hers. "I know all that Akane said to you, and yes, we are engaged." He tried to avoid her watery gaze.

_Who's going to break down tonight first, _he bitterly mocked himself. _Her, or me?_

He spoke to her, confirming everything that Akane had said, trying to phrase it more delicately, for both her sake and his. Haku avoided the part where Akane threatened to kill Chihiro if he didn't follow through; he knew it would make things a lot more difficult.

Chihiro stared blankly at the waterfall, recalling its lyrics. It's singing had ceased, as if it were trying to listen to their conversation.

"What about Piscanem?" She asked. "Is it true, what they think of me?"

Haku could feel his heart being torn to shreds. But now was not the time to turn back.

"Yes… it's all true. After you discovered who I was, and word spread of your bravery and compassion… they wanted _us _to be married."

At this, Chihiro flinched, as if in great pain. But, as suddenly as she had flinched, she had wiped it away and put on the bravest face she could manage. Only Haku could see the way her lower lip quivered.

She hid it with a smile. "Well, something like that could never happen, could it?" She forced out with a laugh, squinting her eyes and face into a grin that attempted to hide the way her tears welled as she spoke.

"No… it can't." He returned, only he forgot to laugh. Not even Haku could make a joke out of something so equally heartbreaking for the both of them. They were both on their feet now. Slowly, Chihiro turned to face him, and was horrified yet touched by the intensity of his expression.

There they stood, eye to eye, soul to soul. Each so nervous they could hardly breathe, but none of them showing it.

"H-haku…" Chihiro stammered, as nervous as she had ever been. "I've been thinking a lot lately, and when I heard the news about you and Akane…I…I realized s-something."

Haku coughed to clear his throat, his mouth suddenly dry as a desert.

_Why… why am I so nervous? _He questioned himself.

The petrified girl took a shaky breath.

"I-I think I'm in lo—"

Just then, a loud bell resounded from the bathhouse. However far away it was, it still pierced the air in the gardens where they stood. The shift was officially over. Chihiro wanted to finish what she said, but the moment was gone.

Thinking quickly, she retracted what she previously brought up.

"I think we should head back." She said with a smile, her eyes barely giving away what she truly meant to say.


	14. 14 - Take it in Strides

**Hello everyone! I've gotten so many reviews from all of you, supporting me in continuing this story, and I thank you so much for it! **

**I am so sorry for taking so long in between these chapters. I know it's no excuse, but sometimes writers' block really does last for a very long time haha. With the help of many friends, after getting feedback from them and suggestions, I was able to come up with the next move in this story, and SOME semblance of how I'm going to make the climax of this story. Trust me, there's still a lot coming. I'm sorry if these updates won't be as often as some of you would like... trust me, I haven't forgotten about you all! *teary eyes* I'm sowwy... I'm a failure as an author. I started this as an eager fan, and am still eager, but sadly lack experience... I'm only 15! T-T **

**I introduced another new OC into this story, let me know if you like them! I may give her some backstory, and I may not, depending on how you react to her. I already have some ideas cooking. Anyway, as usual, don't forget to review and favorite! Also, I really am one of those authors who loves the feedback and suggestions from their readers, so really, if you have any plot development points that you have in your head, leave them below! Otherwise, I'll continue down this path. Let me know what you like and don't like, and I'll see you guys hopefully soon! Love you all, don't forget it!**

* * *

The sounds of giggling girls and the roar of attempted-hushed voices woke Chihiro the next morning. She kept her eyes shut, staying bundled in her sheets, focusing on the words that filled the room.

The sound of one soft-spoken yuna was all she heard first. "SHHH! You're all too loud, don't wake the girl!"

_ Too late for that, I'm afraid, _she retorted in her mind. Chihiro focused all of her hearing.

"A gala! I can't believe it, we're holding an actual gala!"

"Maybe I'll finally find my prince charming," One yuna said with an exaggerated sigh.

"HA, fat chance of that! You're more likely to end up with a frog than a prince, with that body!" Another girl squealed before the group of bubbling girls erupted in laughter.

But something was wrong… they were trying too hard to keep quiet. Something in the air was off.

By now, it was too loud in the room for Chihiro to continue her sleeping façade.

Sitting up with a groan, she spotted the group of women all huddled around a new sign posted on their wall. Someone must have snuck in during the night and hung it up, she concluded.

No one seemed to notice as she stood and approached the silly girls, trying her best to see the newest addition to the room's interior design. Standing at the front of the herd was Rin, jaw dropped, with an obviously disapproving look on her face. Chihiro stood beside her and began to look. Rin caught her staring moments too late, for Chihiro had already seen all she needed to. Posted on the wall, in the finest calligraphy read:

* * *

_"To all staff and guests currently residing in our humble bathhouse, we formally welcome you to celebrate the announcement of engagement for Nigahayami Kohaku Nushi, and Akane Saiko Yuwaku!_

_ You are all asked to be present as we commemorate this eagerly anticipated announcement in the lives of two loved ones that we at the bathhouse hold very closely to our hearts! Break out your finest suits and your most elegant dresses, as this will be a night that will go down in history as one of the greatest unions in several millennia!"_

* * *

Although this was an announcement directed towards everyone, Chihiro couldn't help but feel that it was holding a dagger to her heart alone. As much as she wanted to break down in a puddle of confusion and strife, she knew she had cried too much these past few days. She would be strong and would take it as it came. She could not break down, not now.

All Rin could do was attempt to get her away from the paper by any means possible, as if avoiding the plague. In the process of Chihiro reading the notice, all of the yunas silenced themselves, one by one, as she walked one step at a time until the paper was point blank, directly in front of her face.

"Chihiro, let's get some breakfast! Come on, lets get out of here!" She tried putting on her most excited face possible, but the human girl would not budge. Her eyes were blank as she read the words over and over in her head.

Rin thought that Chihiro would surely follow the pattern of the last few days and immediately burst into tears, but what she did next she would have never expected, and would confuse her for years to come.

She put on a mask, giggled, and flashed her winning smile.

Turning to face the kitsune spirit once more, she said without a hint of hesitation, "What'll it be this morning, miso soup or omurice?"

Chihiro tried not to notice as every yuna turned to face her, eyes widened, jaws to the floor. This was obviously not the reaction they were expecting.

One yuna even looked mildly upset. She stepped up immediately.

"Wait, you mean you came all the way back here and got your own job back, yet you're not even a LITTLE bit upset that the love of your life has just been snatched from you?"

Chihiro really wished the woman hadn't have said that.

This one outburst from the yuna started a swarm of babbling from the 20-something others. They sounded like a swarm of angry bees as they sent her mind swirling with their remarks.

_Oh, don't hold back on me now…_ She thought with a sunken heart, finally beginning to let the situation dawn on her.

"You must not even love him."

"I really rooted for you all those years ago, too."

"You CAN'T let Akane do this!"

"What about Piscanem, they wanted YOU!"

Every one of the yunas had their own concern… and all of them were valid. But she had promised she wouldn't break down, and these floods of remarks certainly weren't helping.

She couldn't take it anymore.

"EVERYBODY, QUIET." She shouted with a voice full of power, washing out the sea of voices around her. All of the yunas silenced immediately, not sure how to respond.

"Do you honestly think I'm NOT upset by this?" Chihiro said, unashamed of the slight falter in her voice. "I know you all think I'm a stupid human. I've known that since I was a child," She didn't know how, but she found a new source of confidence, and the words were streaming out of her now as if they were a practiced speech.

"But, it took me years to realize something that has now become a very important life lesson." She took a huge breath,

"-and that is that I am in love with Haku, always have been, and always will be." Chihiro said. She was not going to keep secrets anymore. She had nothing left to lose.

"Obviously…" She said, thinking her words through as they came, "he does not feel the same about me." At this she got a couple objecting sighs and murmurs.

"I learned a lot after I made the choice to leave the Spirit World, but the most important thing I've learned is that when you love someone, you put their happiness before your own. If this is what will make Haku happy, then how could I ask for anything more?"

This was an obvious lie. Chihiro knew what she wanted... she wanted Haku. She wanted Haku to be happy… but she wanted him to be happy with _her. _With every lie that left her mouth she was more and more upset with herself and for the situation she was in.

"I am his friend first, and as such, will support him until the day I die." Her falters got more frequent and noticeable.

"Let's face it," Chihiro said, looking to the floor. She was no longer talking to the yunas, but to herself. "Haku deserves so much better than a human like me. My body is weak and will eventually die, but he will live on, always. Akane has far more beauty than I could ever have, and will be a companion that will never fade."

"Akane has power, wealth, everything. Haku will have everything he could possible want…" Chihiro let out a sigh of exasperation.

" -and I have nothing to give. I never had a chance to begin with." She couldn't take her eyes from the floor. Rin grabbed her arm. Realizing several yunas were tearing up in front of her, she gave them all a sad smile. "I'll be ok, really, I will," Another lie. "Thank you all for worrying."

Just as she was about to make her exit, they all crowded around her and hugged the human tightly. Some began to weep bitterly, others looked to the floor somberly. The same yuna that had spoken up first spoke once more.

"Tomorrow night, before the gala, would you please let us all help you get ready? We swear to make you the most beautiful woman within miles of this place. Akane will be the dirt under your feet…" Several girls gave hoots of agreement. "Please, let us do this for you."

The swarm of bees started up once more, this time with much kinder words.

"Haku won't be able to take his eyes off of you."

"You are so much more than she will ever be."

"Take any of my hairpins, ANYTHING! You deserve it."

At this, Chihiro found herself tearing up once more, not out of sadness but out of such unspeakable joy. These women all supported her. She may have lost all she'd ever needed, but she now knew that at the end of the day, she'd be ok.

She nodded quickly, putting her hand over her mouth, stifling a sob. But, the yuna wasn't finished.

"You are wise, you are intelligent, and you are brave." She spoke softly. "One thing that you have that Akane will never possess, is a heart of gold. I could not imagine anyone more worthy of someone like Haku."

* * *

With a couple more kind words from other yunas, each of them began to disperse, beginning their daily work routine. All that remained was Rin, Chihiro, and the one yuna.

Rin remained quiet during the entire episode, but now grabbed the other woman's hand, and turning to Chihiro, spoke with a proud smile.

"Chi, meet Yasuko! She's been working at the bathhouse longer than I have, but I don't think you two met when you were here last time."

The woman smiled. She seemed like the sort of woman who would make an excellent mother. "Nice to meet you, Chihiro, I've only heard stories of your amazing integrity and kindness from your last visit. You can call me Yasu, if you'd rather."

Chihiro still couldn't believe how unbelievably kind and understanding 'Yasu' was when she was at one of her lowest points, and grabbed her hands eagerly. "Even though we've just met, I already have a feeling I owe you so much! Thank you for your kind words…" She said almost apologetically. No one had ever said anything as kind as Yasuko had.

"Don't mention it," Yasuko said, waving her finger. "I meant every word of it."

They exchanged kind glances before Rin spoke up once more.

"Now, I heard mention of breakfast, and I'm kinda feeling a bowl of omurice." Rin said with a wink. "Would you ladies care to join me?"

Chihiro was so happy to know that others around her were trying to cheer her up. Although her heart was torn and frustrated, she followed the two girls, thinking it was best to keep her strife and anguish off her mind as much as possible.

* * *

**Haku POV**

Haku awoke in the men's quarters to find the same reaction as the women. All of them seemed to buzz with the idea of a gala coming the following night, and many of them were quite vocal about it. He received loads of slaps on the back and congratulations from his neighboring workers, but was so furious he couldn't keep the glare off his face.

Haku was sickened to the core. Just when he thought he and Chihiro had finally opened up to each other, Akane or _whoever_ just _had_ to pull the rug from under his feet once more. He could only imagine what Chihiro must be thinking.

He would endure the pain. His time was running out for finding a way out of this, but he would stay strong for Chihiro. No matter what, he would get out of this arrangement, or kill himself trying.

Before he could even break into Yubaba's office to object, there was a sign over her door. She seemed to be fully aware of the situation, as well. The sign read:

* * *

"Haku-

I am aware that circumstances are not ideal at the moment. Trust me, I had not planned this. I have already spoken with Akane… she is adamant in this gala taking place. She and I are out in the city making preparations for tomorrow night. Better get your dancing shoes ready, Pretty Boy.

Yubaba"

* * *

Haku growled as he snatched the paper, a blue flame shot from his hands, burning the parchment to ashes.

He closed his eyes, and in his mind searched the bathhouse until he found Chihiro. She was in the dining quarters with Rin and Yasuko. Both yunas on either side of her, they watched over her protectively. Chihiro looked down at her food disdainfully with heavy eyes, meaning that surely she must know about the gala.

_Oh, what must she think of me right now…_ He thought in dismay.

His anger was boiling, and there was no controlling it.

_Hold on Chihiro, I'm not going down without a fight, _he swore in that moment.

* * *

**Once again, I love your reviews and feedback and ideas! Hope you liked the chapter! I don't like updating if I'm not totally in love with the chapter I've made, which is why my updates take so long. Praying for no more writer's block XD. Anyway, love you all, and I'll update as soon as possible! Thanks everyone!**


	15. 15 - More Promises

**Hello again! I think my writer's block is finally starting to let up, ever so slightly. I have the next couple chapters planned out, and let's just say, things are going to get a lot more interesting!**

**One important thing I wanted to ask that I WANT IMPUT ON (cough cough comments/reviews) is, lets just say *hint hint hint* that a confession of love was coming up soon. Who do you think it would/should be from, Chihiro or Haku? **

**Again, I look forward to updating as soon as possible, but it all boils down to when I can, and how proud I am of what I write. Again... inexperience heh heh heh. As always, I love reviews, follows, and favorites, they inspire me to keep going! Let me know what you like and don't like about the story. Thanks everyone! 3 **

* * *

During their breakfast, Chihiro began to learn a lot about Yasu. She was surprised to find that she used to be Zeniba's assistant, back when Zeniba co-ran the bathhouse with Yubaba.

Apparently, when Zeniba decided to move to Swamp Bottom, Yasu was so attached to the sweet old woman that she had offered to move also, and would have, if Zeniba hadn't demanded that she stay in the bathhouse. The old witch knew that there would be nothing for the yuna in Swamp Bottom, and if there were any chance of her ever getting out of this place and doing something with her life, being here, in the city, was the best option. The way Yasuko spoke of Zeniba showed just how deeply they cared for one another.

Chihiro was moved by their close relationship, and made a point to bring it up with Zeniba next time she saw her.

_That explains why Zeniba was alone when I first met her, she pieced together. I know how rough that can be, being separated from your best friend._

"But Yasu, what would you do if you ever got out of here?" Chihiro asked. It was a valid question; Chihiro wasn't sure what options there were for anyone else who didn't work in the bathhouse. What was even outside this area? The only parts of the Spirit World she had seen were all inside the bathhouse compound.

Yasu's eyes lit up like a child on her birthday.

"Well, I've wanted to be a seamstress since I was a little girl…" She said shyly. "But I don't think I'm good enough to ever make it anything other than a hobby," Yasu added, casting her eyes to the floor.

Rin, her mouth stuffed with rice, let out a grunt of disapproval. "Nuh-uhh! I've seen the gorgeous gowns you keep hidden from the other girls," She chided, chewing her food before continuing. "You have TALENT." The way Rin puffed out her cheeks as she spoke made Chihiro giggle.

"Oh, don't start that with me again," Yasu said with a smile, exaggerating her eye roll. "SPEAKING OF WHICH. Chihiro, tonight, meet me in the women's quarters. I'm going to fit you for your gown. I swore I would make you the prettiest girl there, didn't I?" She said with a wink.

_Wait, you were serious about that?!_ Chihiro remembered what Yasuko had sworn earlier that morning, but for whatever reason, hadn't imagined that she would actually hold up to their agreement.

"Wait, b-but Yasu, the gala is tomorrow, are you sure you'll be able to get it finished in time? Should I even be going in the first place? And what about you, what are you going to wear?" Chihiro said, bashfully. Before she could continue to object, she was interrupted by Yasu.

"No, no, no! Too late to back out now, I know what you're trying to pull. You are going to the ball, and every jaw will hit the floor in the presence of your magnificence!" Yasuko said with an exaggerated bow. The power in her voice reminded Chihiro of her own mother, who used to command her to do things with a similarly comedic sense of authority. Rin and Chihiro cracked up at the show Yasu put on.

_I wonder what mom would say in this situation,_ she thought. Chihiro didn't want to admit it, but the last 2 days she had hardly thought of her parents at all, with this Akane business. She hoped her parents were doing alright.

Before any of the girls could comment, the frog worker Aogeru stood at the front of the food hall and coughed loudly to get the attention of everyone in the room. The hundreds of workers surrounding them all paid no attention, and it took Rin standing on the table, telling everyone to shut up, to finally get everyone to quiet down.

Aogeru coughed to clear his throat once more, looking around awkwardly. "A-hem. Thank you, Rin." She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. The frog worker continued. "As all of you most likely know by now, we have all been graciously invited to attend a celebratory engagement gala tomorrow night." At this, people all around began to cheer. Raising his hands, he silenced them once more. "Yes, yes, thank you. Well, on behalf of the happy couple, I would like to invite the man-of-the-hour himself to come up and share a few words."

At the mere mention of the gala, all of the hard work Chihiro had done to keep it together had been severely impaired. But, seeing Haku take the stage, standing so strong and confidently, that is what really tore her up inside. She closed her eyes, too afraid to look, when she felt both girls each grabbing one of her hands. _It's going to be ok,_ they're gesture seemed to say.

Slowly, she opened her eyes to see the slender dragon spirit standing in the middle the room, eyes pointed directly at her. His eyes said 'I'm sorry'. She quickly gave him a reassuring nod and a thumbs up. Please don't look at me like that, or I'll really start crying, she secretly begged of him. She hoped he couldn't see through her front. If he did, he certainly didn't give it away, for he started talking immediately after her signal.

"Hello, everyone. I know this announcement was certainly..." He looked around semi-bitterly, "sudden. But, I look forward to seeing every single one of you at the gala tomorrow." With this, his eyes returned to Chihiro's. The crowd of people gathered were only a blur as he continued speaking. "Because this gala," he stressed, "will certainly be a night to remember."

_Why is he looking at me so intently?_ Chihiro searched his eyes from afar, trying to find some hidden meaning behind his words, but could find none. She lifted her eyebrows into a saddened, confused expression, which Haku saw immediately. He gave her a half-smile, the closest thing he could muster in attempting to assure Chihiro that everything would be ok. She couldn't see his expression from so far away.

Being so invested in his body language, Chihiro hadn't realized that Rin and Yasu were both already talking, not to her, but to each other.

"Look at him, Yasu, what in the world is he doing?"

"I don't know, he must be planning something. He obviously didn't agree to this."

"Are you sure? He keeps looking at Chi. WHY DOES HE KEEP LOOKING AT CHI?!" Rin's mama-bear persona was starting to break through again, and she looked ready to defend Chihiro at a moment's notice.

"I'm not entirely sure..." Yasu countered, but her eyes said differently. She saw how he looked at Chihiro. It takes a trained eye to pick up on a look of love.

The workers had resumed their meal, and Aogeru had already left, but Haku continued to stand strongly in place. Both Haku and Chihiro stayed firmly where they were, eyes unwavering.

_Remember this image, Chihiro,_ she told herself. _This may be one of the last times I get to see Haku before I lose him again. For the last time._

Haku began to walk towards her at a hastened pace. Every step closer to her was another shade of red poor Chihiro's face began to take on.

Before speaking, he turned to Rin and Yasu. "Hello, ladies. How are you both, on this fine morning?" he asked, putting on the most genuine smile he could manage. Yasuko was the first to respond, and she did so very nonchalantly.

"Why hello there, Haku. We're doi-"

"What kind of bullshit are you trying to pull here, Haku?!" Rin nearly hissed. She was so livid, she wasn't even able to come up with a nickname for him, which showed Chihiro she clearly meant business.

_Oh no, C_hihiro thought_. PLEASE, Rin! Don't make a scene,_ she prayed.

Rin's serious tone turned several heads next to them, meaning Haku had to act quickly.

"HAHAHAHA, oh, Rin, such a kidder," This was the first time Chihiro had ever seen Haku laugh so clearly. He guffawed before leaning in so only the 3 girls could hear. "This is as much news to me as it is to you. Kindly refrain from making such outbursts in the future," he said, glaring daggers at Rin. Her cheeks immediately reddened, and she let out an audible 'huff' before opening her mouth once more.

"Whatever. Yasu, we need to go. These two need some time alone." Yasu agreed, and giving Chihiro's hand a squeeze before letting go, left the room with Rin.

"H-haku, congratulatio-" Before she could finish, he grabbed her hand, and began walking.

_Oh my god, what's happening? Where are we going?!_

"Haku, where are you taking me?!" Chihiro inquired, worriedly.

"Somewhere. Anywhere, as long as it's away from here. We need to talk, now." This put an end to her questions immediately. She followed him without objection until before she knew it, she was back outside in Haku's secret garden, where they had been just last night.

For the first time, Haku looked legitimately exasperated. "We should be ok now. I'm guessing Akane has spies everywhere in the bathhouse... except here. Only we know of this place."

Chihiro held her hands close to her body, afraid to look Haku in the eyes. She nodded meekly.

"Chihiro," He said calmly. "Look at me, please." She did so without objecting.

"Tell me what's going on," She said quietly. Chihiro, more than anything, was worried about Haku.

"I'm trying to," He said, eyes desperate. "You may want to take a seat for this," He said, gesturing to the rock in front of him. Chihiro sat down immediately.

"First thing's first. I had nothing to do with this gala, this engagement, or ANY of this." He said, tightening his fists at his side. He took steps back and forth, thinking intently on what to say next.

"Chihiro, I don't even know who this woman is," he said, looking straight into her eyes, sending shivers down her back. "I met her the same time you did. And I can tell you for sure, I do not love her."

_Heart, this is a REALLY bad time to be getting jitters,_ Chihiro noted.

Haku sat down beside her, lowering his voice to barely above a whisper. "There is so much I don't know... but I'm trying my best to figure it out. All I know is... tomorrow night, at the gala, something may happen, and I'm not sure what it is." He said, turning to face her. Chihiro tried to read the look on his face, but couldn't.

"I need you to do something for me," he continued. "I need you to be there, at the gala. My intention was never to frighten you, but you need to know that Akane is planning something, something that could potentially hurt you." The tone of his voice was full of emotion, he looked pained at the very thought of anything happening to her. "I'm not sure how she plans to do it, but I swear on my life, I will do anything in my power to protect you. Just...please, promise me you'll be there, so if any danger should come to you, I can protect you." He would do anything, if need be, to make sure she was safe.

_Wha... why? What on earth is going on?!_ Her head was spinning with this new information. _I trust him with my life... but I don't want him to get hurt in the process of saving me!_

"Haku, I won't pretend like I know what's going on, but whatever you tell me to do, I'll do it. " All timidity left her eyes. She stared at him in the eyes with so much intensity, it made even him do a double take. "But please, be careful."

He exhaled as if the world had just been lifted from his shoulders. But, Chihiro wasn't finished.

"But, in return, I want you to promise me one thing." The pleading look in her eyes made his heart swell. "Promise me, no matter what we go through in the next day, or the next week, or even the next lifetime, you'll always do what makes you happy. You are my best friend in this world and any other, and your wellbeing is all I could ever dream of. If that means marrying Akane... then I want you to do it."

Haku tensed at that final blow. He wanted to tell her the truth of how he felt. But, would that make it more complicated further on? What if he wasn't able to get out of the engagement in time? Would Chihiro, knowing the truth of who he really loved, be worse off?

_There's no way she could love someone like me... I can't tell her. Not now._

"Haku... when did we grow up?" She asked rhetorically. "This is selfish of me, I know, but I wish sometimes it could just be the two of us, just like old times, forever." The saddest thing about Chihiro's commentary was how wise she came off as. She sounded like an old woman who had seen the ways of the world... someone so full of regret, so tired. Her words resonated deep within Haku's heart.

_The world can be so cruel to people like you and me, he lamented_. It was moments like these where he truly appreciated and marveled at how strong Chihiro was, how much she had endured in her lifetime. If anyone deserved happiness, it would be her.

Chihiro truly was a force to be reckoned with, somehow making even him speechless. They sat in silence for a moment until Chihiro leaned her head against his shoulder. "Promise me, Haku, that you'll be happy." He wrapped his arms around her, and secretly thanked whatever higher power there was for putting such a blessing in his life.

"I promise." He whispered.

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Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please leave comments, reviews, favorites and follows! Thank you everyone, talk to you soon!


	16. 16 - The Clothes Make the Man

**BEFORE YOU READ THIS CHAPTER:**** At the very end of this chapter, I have in bolded font a proposition for all of you creative minds out there, and it's an opportunity to have some input on the story. I need help, and I want to hear from all of you! The 'prompt' (oooh that sounds fancy) is, like I said, at the bottom of the page. Please leave your ideas in either PM's or in reviews, I guarantee I will read them all!**

**Hello everyone! I know it's been several months since I updated, but I'm really happy with this chapter! Thank you everyone for your patience during this time. With school, work, and everything else going on in my life, it's been honestly rather hard to keep this fanfiction going, but I'm determined to see it through to the end! But please be patient with me, as it may be a long term sort of thing. ****Anyways, as I've mentioned before, I am so thankful for all of the support you've all given me throughout this story, and I wish I could thank you all individually, but this will have to suffice at present. **

**The fuel for my inspiration is through your kind replies and favorites and follows. Let me know what you like and don't like, because I really do take it to heart and want to ultimately become a better writer through this experience. Well, I think I've pretty much covered everything, so without any further ado... "Chapter 16 - The Clothes Make the Man"!**

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Having promised Haku that she would be present at the gala tomorrow night, Chihiro and Haku were met in front of the bathhouse by none other than Akane herself. The blonde woman saw the two together and had a reaction of both amusement and slight disgust.

"Ahhh, there you are, my dear," She cooed, practically shoving Chihiro out of the way. As Akane walked towards Haku, several servants followed carrying rolls of cloth and tulle in different shades. Haku stood there as firmly as he could, his expression without emotion, but his eyes burning with intense irritation towards the woman.

"Tell me, which color cloth should I use for the gown that I'm to wear tomorrow night?" Akane asked Haku, batting her eyelashes ever so innocently.

If Haku had his way, he would have no problem with ripping out this woman's throat right now. But, he had to be strong for Chihiro's sake. Stiffening up, he spoke firmly.

"I'm afraid I have little to no knowledge on the subject," He said, inching slightly further away from Akane, towards Chihiro.

Meanwhile, the human girl stood out of their way, unaware of how to approach the situation. Seeing Akane again was enough to put fear into her, but she felt relieved, remembering Haku's promise to protect her in the case of any incident.

Akane, turning to Chihiro, then chimed, "Well, then maybe our Chihiro may be able to enlighten us." Her servants then held out the spools of cloth to her in a beckoning manner. "Which do you think would go best with my…_fair_…complexion?" The word silkily flowed from her lips, drawing attention to the beautiful fairness of her porcelain skin.

Chihiro didn't like having this attention thrust upon her, especially not by Akane. But, it seemed she had no choice but to give her opinion. Looking at the options in front of her, she surveyed her choices.

Dozens of spools of fabric were placed in front of her. The first option, a rosy pink fabric with a satin finish, seemed to glimmer with flecks of gold in the light. It was quite exquisite, but its soft, warm appearance would clash heavily with Akane's powerful, if not dominating personality.

Further down the line was a deep, navy blue, which appeared to be made of silk. Out of the many options in front of her, this fabric looked like it was the highest of quality. Anyone could see that it would look lovely in contrast to Akane's fair features, especially in comparison to her golden hair and grey eyes.

The final fabric placed before her was a very loud and flamboyant golden shade. Its material was unknown to Chihiro, but from the way it glinted in the sun, the fabric itself almost looked gaudy. Personally, she liked this fabric least of them all; it felt and looked cheap.

Akane noticed immediately her dislike for the final fabric, and smirked in satisfaction. "Well?" Akane said, once again getting Chihiro's attention. "Which will it be?"

Chihiro, trying her best to avoid eye contact without seeming rude, spoke in a timid voice. "Personally, ma'am, I like the blue the best." Having said her opinion, she locked eyes with her female counterpart.

"Ahh, yes, the blue. A very lovely shade, isn't it?" She said, admiring it fondly. "It's actually quite funny that you happened to choose this fabric…" Akane smirked, eyeing both Haku and Chihiro. "I had this shipped directly from Piscanem this morning. It seems you and that country are drawn to each other." She concluded, raising her eyebrows and barely hiding her eyeroll.

Chihiro couldn't have known this, but Piscanem was known for it's exquisite silks and textiles. As a previous citizen of the far off country, Haku's eyes seemed to glint both with mild satisfaction and pride in Chihiro's choice, and also moderate annoyance in Akane's implications in arranging this. Before he could comment, Akane continued to speak to the now slightly embarrassed Chihiro.

"Well, I'm glad that's settled. Blue it is. Next order of business," Akane said, placing her hands on Chihiro's shoulders in a mock-friendly way, "What are you going to wear, Chihiro?"

The young girl hadn't expected this physical contact and, as a result, became nervous. She began to stutter her response.

"A-actually ma'am, my friend Y-yasu-" Chihiro began, beginning to explain Yasu's gracious offer of helping her get ready. But, Akane hurriedly pointed to the previously noted gaudy-gold cloth, exclaiming, "Isn't this one beautiful? It would look wonderful on you, Chihiro! You should use it!"

Chihiro, unaware of Akane's knowledge of her distaste for the spool graciously took hold of the fabric and bowed in respect. "Thank you, ma'am!" She would never dare voice her opinion of the fabric, to avoid offending her patroness.

Meanwhile, Haku couldn't help but glare at the woman as she placed the cloth in Chihiro's hands. He noticed how Akane intently watched Chihiro's response to the fabrics, and knew her true intention all along.

Before anyone could add any further comment, Akane clapped her hands, and the line of servants took the remaining spools of fabric back inside the bathhouse. Akane, turning to Chihiro and Haku, said with an eager grin, "I look forward to seeing you _both_ tomorrow night." The dragon spirit didn't like how she emphasized the word 'both', implying Chihiro, but bowed regardless before walking into the bathhouse. Chihiro followed his lead.

"Haku," Chihiro called out, picking up her pace. "Wait up!" From what she could tell, Haku was in a foul mood after encountering the woman.

She followed him until Haku stopped suddenly in one of the corridors. He turned to her. "I cannot stand that woman," He growled. "How dare she treat you that way?"

Chihiro gave him a smile, which had an immediate soothing effect. "You know, is she honestly that bad? It was actually rather nice of her to give me this material," Chihiro said, gesturing to the cloth in her hands.

Haku looked at her in almost disbelief. "_That_ material? Chihiro, come on. You know it's absolutely hideous."

Both of them looked at the pile of fabric in Chihiro's hands, neither of them saying a word. Then, they both simultaneously locked eyes. Suddenly, a grin broke through Chihiro's features as she burst out in unabashed laughter. Between outbursts, she spoke. "Oh God, you're so right… it's terrible!" Something about seeing his best friend in such a humorous mood made even Haku begin to chuckle, and soon cackle, until both of them were gasping for air, laughing at the sad fabric and the entire situation they found themselves in.

"Oh, but don't worry, I was beginning to tell Akane before, but Yasu is going to be making me a dress for tomorrow," she said with a smile. "I'm sure she'll find some other fabric. Trust me, I'd rather wear my uniform to the gala than _this_," she said, letting a few more chuckles escape her.

Haku sighed in relief, but not over the clothes issue. In fact, Haku was sure she'd look wonderful in anything she ended up wearing. What really made him happy was hearing Chihiro's wondrous laugh again. After the past couple of nights of seeing her in tears, and the years of longing before then, this sight was the best gift he could receive.

Apparently he had been staring at her for a while now, because the next thing he heard snapped him back to reality.

"Haku, is something wrong? You're staring at me…" A still smiling Chihiro said. Haku paused before answering.

"I missed that laugh," He said. "For a long time, I thought I'd never hear it again," He added, before giving that contempt expression that only Haku got. Chihiro wished she could have a picture of this look, to keep with her always. Just as her head was running wild again, she corrected herself.

_Don't misunderstand_ his_ words. We are best friends after all, aren't we? It's only natural to have that response,_ Chihiro told herself, unsuccessfully trying to extinguish her butterflies.

Upon seeing Chihiro's surprised expression, Haku realized just what he had said and immediately cast his eyes to the ground. "You should head back to the women's quarters, Yasuko is probably waiting for you." _Good topic change,_ Haku commended himself.

The realization came upon Chihiro suddenly as she exclaimed, "Oh, you're right, thank you for reminding me! I'll see you later, Haku!" Obviously, the comment from before had now escaped her mind. Waving to the man beside her, she set off running in the direction of the women's quarters.

The image of an excited Chihiro running down the hall was one of those moments that Haku couldn't help but smile at. If she were able to see his expression, she would have found the dragon spirit standing there, grinning after her like a fool.

* * *

As Chihiro ran down corridor after corridor on her way to the quarters, the image of Haku looking at her with that contempt expression stuck in her mind. He had looked at her as if seeing a new side to her, which to be honest, he probably had. But, just as Haku had seen a new side of her, she likewise saw a new side of him. In fact, she couldn't recall a time where she had ever had a lighthearted, normal conversation with Haku. Well, they probably never had the chance to, considering the first time she was in the Spirit World was under rather dire circumstances.

Then she thought of his face moments before the contempt look, eyes closed, grinning wildly, laughing genuinely. It was the first time she had ever seen or heard him laugh. It was deep and hearty, and the mere thought of it brought warmth to the deepest parts of Chihiro's heart. She secretly wondered if this was a side he showed to anyone, or if it was only her who had ever seen him that way.

_Regardless, I truly hope I get to see more of that side of Haku, _Chihiro thought and nearly prayed.

Just as she had finished her contemplation, she reached the entrance of the women's quarters. Before she had even opened the door halfway, she was flooded with two very loud voices, shouting in unison.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" Rin and Yasu stood at the entryway, arms crossed like two concerned parents, glaring at Chihiro.

"We needed you here at LEAST an hour ago," Yasu stepped forward, leading Chihiro into the room. Throughout the space were several stations, each surrounded with yunas who were all working on something; whether it be sewing cloth or arranging hairpins. Upon closer inspection, Chihiro noticed that they were all working on their respective outfits for tomorrow night's gala. The room was abuzz with the murmurings of the yunas.

"Miko, can you pass me the yellow thread?"

"Has ANYONE seen my pink silk? I could have sworn in was right next to me..."

"Hana, do you have any extra sequins?"

_Wow, _Chihiro thought. _This gala is really a big deal, isn't it?_

Before she could offer her apology for being late and give her alibi, Rin had already taken her by the arm and guided her to a corner of the room. The kitsune spirit stared at her, as if expecting something.

"Well?!" Rin huffed, foot tapping impatiently on the ground.

"...well, what?" Chihiro replied meekly.

"TAKE OFF YOUR CLOTHES! We have precisely 24 hours before the gala, and if we don't get your measurements now, your dress will _not_ be ready in time!" She said, pulling out a tape measure and pins.

Behind her came Yasu, wearing what appeared to be reading glasses and carrying a clipboard. She tied her sleeves back, as though she were ready to do some strenuous job.

"R-right here?" An embarrassed Chihiro chirped. She had never been too comfortable with her body, and the thought of undressing in front of everyone was nerve wracking.

Yasu put her hand on Chihiro's shoulder. "We're all girls here, and this is nothing new to us. Come on, it'll be fun!" She said, gesturing around the room at the other girls. Chihiro could see the other yunas getting their measurements done by each other, all of them laughing or with smiles on their faces.

"This is our 'girls night'!" Hollered Rin enthusiastically to no one in particular. Girls around the room began to cheer as they continued their work. The obvious excitement began to have an effect on Chihiro.

_Well, _Chihiro thought. _Let's get started!_

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**READ THIS PART READ THIS PART READ THIS** PART:** Now, before I forget, I have a proposition for you all. The way this story has been going, I honestly haven't really had a plan, I've just kinda been winging it and seeing where it takes me. Well, I think pretty soon the story is going to take Haku and Chihiro away from the bathhouse for a while, and the point is, I want your guys' input on an OC. I want this OC to be a boy, and be (perhaps) interested in Chihiro, and maybe even have her consider having feelings for him. I feel like the way things are going in this story, Haku's and Chihiro's potential relationship is almost TOO perfect, if that makes sense. PLEASE leave your ideas in either reviews or PM's of physical descriptions, names, personality traits, EVERYTHING. Plot twists are always welcomed too! ;) Thanks everyone for your support, and I'll hopefully be updating as soon as I can!**


	17. 17 - A New Acquaintance

**Hi again! In honor of it being the Christmas season and having just reached over 6000 views, I decided I'd release another chapter for you all (despite having updated two days ago)!This chapter goes on a little bit longer than the others, so please let me know whether you like the longer chapter format or not. Also, a new character is introduced in this chapter, so let me know your thoughts on he/she in reviews. **

**ALSO. Do you guys like my writing style? Is there anything you'd change? I love criticism, so please let me know in reviews. Think of it this way, the more reviews, the sooner I'll update! I'll either upload one week from now, or whenever I get 5 more reviews (I currently have 29). Whichever comes first! ;)**

**Thanks again for all of your support, I really do appreciate it. Love you guys, talk to you soon!**

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"Chi, stand up straighter! You are NOT a hunchback." Rin reprimanded.  
At this, Chihiro straightened immediately. The poor girl had been standing there for several hours in various positions as the Rin-and-Yasu tag team wrote down every measurement her body had. Some measurements she couldn't even comprehend as to why they were necessary, such as her head width. Were they making her a headdress?  
As her mind began to think of possible outcomes, she was brought back to reality by the sound of relieved sighing. Yasu, who had been writing down every number Rin called out, turned to her model as she spoke.  
"We're finally done. Sorry about that, you can get down now." She said, removing her reading glasses and setting her clipboard down.  
The tired human flopped down immediately on the closest chair she could find; legs and arms spread out like a starfish. "Good, my back was killing me…" She griped. Realizing what she had said, she sat up before adding apologetically, "But I'm so grateful for your help. Thank you so much, guys!"  
Walking over to her, the two girls began to giggle.  
"Oh, but the work has only just begun," Rin foreshadowed, looking over the measurements Yasu had written. The other yuna had taken a seat next to Chihiro and looked to be just as tired as the human girl. Before any of them could add to the conversation, an encounter between Aogeru and another yuna could be heard from the entryway of the women's quarters.  
"Delivery? For Sen?" The woman inquired. "Who's it from?"  
"I haven't the slightest idea," the rough voice of the frog worker replied. "I was just told to deliver this package from a random customer from downstairs. She disappeared before I could ask her name."

_A package? I'm pretty sure I wasn't expecting anything,_ Chihiro thought. Glancing at her friends, they all seemed to be just as confused as she was. Rin, briskly walking to the front entry, cut into the conversation.

"I'll make sure it gets to her. Thanks, Aogeru." The two bowed to one other before Rin closed the door. Walking over to Chihiro, she placed the package in her hands. The box itself wasn't much bigger than a pizza box, but it was slightly taller. It's contents didn't feel very heavy.  
"Before you open it," Yasu said hesitantly, "Can I see it for a moment?"  
She had no objections and handed it over to the yuna. Yasu closed her eyes, focusing her energy on the objects within. "I don't sense anything dangerous in here," She concluded, handing the box back to Chihiro. By now a small crowd of yunas had gathered around the trio, all trying to get a glimpse at the mystery box's contents. "It should be safe to open."  
"Well," Chihiro said. "Here goes nothing."  
Removing the lid, the entire room seemed to gasp at what lay inside the box. A note written in cursive sat on top several rolls of shimmering, ocean green fabric. The note read as follows:

* * *

A beautiful dress shall be made, for a beautiful girl.

* * *

There was no name attached to the note, leaving no hint as to who could have sent this mysterious package. Yasu reached into the box, pulling out the beautiful cloth. The way it shone picked up on little green and yellow flecks, giving the fabric an overall image of an ocean's ripples glistening in the sun.  
Whispers could be heard from amongst the yunas, each with their different theory as to who this anonymous sender was.  
"Surely, it must be Haku... those are his colors!"  
"No, it can't be! Master Haku would never send something like this, it would draw too much attention to himself."  
"Then who else could it be? It has to be someone in support of Sen and Haku, that much is certain."  
Chihiro looked again at the note. She couldn't recognize the writing... the identity of the sender would have to remain a mystery for the time being. She looked to Rin and Yasu for their reactions.  
Rin appeared to be confused as well, but there was a glint of amusement in Yasu's eyes. The intrigued smirk on her face showed that this mystery excited her. She turned to Chihiro as she spoke. "Well, looks like we know what fabric we'll be using for your gown!"  
The remaining yunas all seemed to get excited at the idea of using this mysterious cloth, and Chihiro would too, were it not for the nagging feeling she had in the back of her mind about the situation. An idea suddenly came upon her as she turned to the two women by her side.  
"Since you've got my measurements, would it be alright if I got some food at the dining hall? I'm starving after standing up for so long." Chihiro said. Getting nods of approval from both Rin and Yasu, she exited the women's quarters at a hastened pace.  
Before she could even turn the corner that led to the main hall, she was met by a very flustered Haku. He seemed distracted by something, so distracted that he hadn't noticed that Chihiro was mere feet away. His face wore a puzzled expression.  
"Haku!" Chihiro called to him. When he saw her walking towards her, his face softened considerably. But still, there seemed to be something seriously wrong.

_I've never seen him like this before,_ she pondered.

"Oh, Chihiro, you're here!" Haku said, looking relieved. Whatever was bothering him, he wasn't eager to share. Chihiro continued on.  
"Yeah! I came down here because I got this anonymous package from one of the customers staying here..." With every passing word, Haku's expression became more worried. Assuming he was feeling this way over the contents of the package, she added quickly, "Don't worry, it only had dress supplies for the gala." His face showed no signs of losing it's concerned expression.  
"Haku, forgive me for asking, but is something wrong?" The concern in her eyes broke down his barrier. Checking his surroundings to make sure they weren't being watched, he responded curtly. "Come with me."  
The dragon spirit grabbed her hand, and they were off. Chihiro remembered the last time they had traveled this quickly, when she had taken that breath on the bridge to the bathhouse after being instructed otherwise.  
The world flew by in a whirlwind until she and Haku found themselves behind a corner in the main hall, away from public eye.  
"Listen closely." Haku instructed. "Because of this gala, a couple of members of my extended family are here. The most important of which is my Aunt Yukino, accompanied by her son, Jiro." He spoke their names tentatively, as if somehow saying their names would make them appear.

_They must be awful_, Chihiro thought, _to make even Haku get nervous like this._

As if reading her thoughts, Haku continued. "They're absolutely wonderful... I trust them with my life. Yukino was like a second mother to me throughout my youth... and Jiro, like a brother to me." He paused briefly, as if recalling pleasant memories. Snapping himself out of it, he continued. "But there's one thing you should know about my aunt. Do you remember what Akane said, how Piscanem had wanted us to be married?"  
A slightly pink Chihiro nodded.  
"Apparently, our most vocal supporter was Yukino. I haven't seen her since I ran away all those years ago, but I imagine she's rather upset about this Akane business. I didn't arrange for her to come here, so I don't know how much she's informed of."  
Little by little, the puzzle pieces were beginning to come together in her mind. "Then, the sender of that package?" Chihiro inquired.  
Haku nodded.  
"Most definitely her."  
She felt honored that she had gotten the attention of even Haku's distant family, but she also guilty that what they wanted could never be.  
"I see... should I return the package, then? I feel almost badly using it now." Chihiro cast her eyes to the floor. Haku shook his head.  
"No, use it! I'll explain everything to her when I see her, so don't worry. I actually think the two of you would like each other very much," He said. "Your personalities are very similar. You may even become good friends," he assured her. "Cousin Jiro is a very kind man, as well."  
Chihiro felt relieved that she would be among friends at the gala tomorrow evening, and sighed inwardly. Haku looked as if he had just remembered something.  
"Which reminds me why I was down here to begin with," He began. "I must go, they're arriving any moment now, and it may be considered rude of me not to be there to receive them..." The dragon spirit said, his face once again clouded with worry.  
Chihiro put her hand on his shoulder. "Good luck," she said encouragingly, giving a sympathetic look. He gave her a nervous smile before heading down the hall once more.

_Well, it looks like I've got some time to kill until tomorrow night,_ she concluded.

* * *

The three girls sat around the table, each with a plate of food in front of them.

"Ugh," Rin said, taking another bite out of her meat bun, "Whoever knew making dresses was so boring?" Leaning back in her chair and putting her feet on the table, she continued. "I'm just glad it turned out so well."At this, Yasu nodded.

The two women had stayed up nearly the entire night, putting the finishing details on the gown. Chihiro had asked to see it, but they quickly said no, telling her that "it'd have to be a surprise".

"Thank you again for doing all of this," Chihiro added. "I don't know why you guys went to the trouble, to be honest... this isn't my gala." She said, poking at her food with her fork absentmindedly.

The previously kick-backed Rin sat forward, slamming her fist on the table. "We SWORE that you would be the most beautiful woman there, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let this go now," Rin said, waving her fist in the air. "She's not going to know what hit her."

Rin's intense expressions were enough to make Chihiro laugh, much to the kitsune spirit's disapproval. "What's so funny?!" She demanded, "It's true!" Little did she know that Rin and Yasu were also laughing at the chunk of meat filling that had somehow become attached to Rin's nose. Chihiro stood up with a giggle to go get more napkins.

This room was used for the dining of both the bathhouse workers and customers alike, meaning Chihiro could see many faces from where she stood. As she walked to the counter, she became aware of an odd presence in the room.

A tall, slender boy with a focused look was standing by the buffet table, getting a good look at what dishes were available. His wavy hair was several shades brighter than a certain dragon spirits, and fell to just past his shoulders. It was tied loosely in a low ponytail, with several pieces framing his face. Appearance wise, he couldn't have been much older than Chihiro, maybe 16 or 17. He was dressed in a dark blue, long sleeved, kimono with a katana strapped to his side. To Chihiro, he looked like one of the characters she had read about in her fairytales growing up, and guessed that he was a samurai of some sort.

Focusing her attention once more on getting the napkins, she turned around just as someone carrying a plate crashed into her, sending shrimp tempura flying all over both herself and the perpetrator.

"Oh, forgive me, sir! I'm so sorr-" Chihiro began to stammer. Looking at the person who's food she was now wearing, she saw the boy whom she spotted at the buffet table just moments before. Before she could finish her apology, he interrupted, an anxious look on his face.

"Not at all, it's my fault! My apologies, I've always been a klutz," he said, smacking his hand to his forehead. The two of them bent down to begin to pick up the tempura fragments. Chihiro could hear him grumbling to himself as he did so.

"How smooth, Jiro..."

_Wait a minute, did he just say "Jiro"? Is this Haku's cousin?_

Continuing to pick up the shrimp, she got a glimpse at his face once more. Yes, she could definitely see the similarity... Their eyes and their resting solemn expression was nearly identical. Realizing that he was a guest and that he shouldn't be doing the cleaning, she spoke up.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm a worker. Let me take care of this..." She said, picking up the remaining food and carrying it to the wastebasket. He followed her, continuing his apologies.

"I even got it all over your uniform- here, allow me. Face me for a moment." Not in a position to object, she did as he requested. Holding out his hands so they hovered several inches from her, a blue light began to flow from his hands to the apron, and when the light dissipated, so did every trace of food from Chihiro's uniform. Her jaw dropped slightly before she realized she had yet to respond. Before she could, he spoke.

"I'm Jiro," the boy said. "I'm visiting with my mother for a gala being held here tonight. Might I ask your name?" He said politely, extending his hand in a handshake.

_This boy is so openly social,_ Chihiro observed. _Such a difference to his cousin. _She had to stifle a chuckle at the thought of Haku behaving in such a way.

"Nice to meet you, Jiro. My name is Chihiro," she said, shaking his hand. His eyes widened.

"Chihiro- as in Chihiro Ogino? The human girl who saved Haku?!" Jiro's eyes began to sparkle. "Oh, please, do forgive my rudeness. On behalf of our entire clan, I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude in having helped my cousin," He said, bowing low in deep respect. "If there is ever anything you may need, please, feel free to ask."

_He's talking to me as though I were a celebrity, _she thought. _I hadn't realized this was such a big deal to everyone else..._

"That's me, but please, it was nothing. In fact, I'm the one who's indebted to him, for sure. He's gotten me through more messy situations than I'd care to admit," she said with a smile, recalling both the last week she had been there and the incident with her parents.

She decided that she could trust this Jiro. The way he spoke eloquently yet kindly was much like his cousin, and she could tell that he acted from the heart.

"Even so,"Jiro said, "You've helped bring back our family's prodigal son, of sorts. From what I've heard, when he signed his contract here, he sealed away all of his memories... why, I'd go so far as to say that if you hadn't remembered who he was, he would have never known who he was or who he came from..."Jiro pointed out, genuine sadness resonating in his eyes.

Chihiro hadn't realized that they had been standing there talking for several minutes before she heard Rin and Yasu walk up to her.

"Chi?" Rin said, not seeing the boy next to her. "Where've you been? You went to go get napkins and suddenly-" Her voice trailed out as she laid eyes on Chihiro's new companion. Yasu suppressed giggles at seeing Rin's eyes swell, as if saying she were saying 'And who's THIS hunk?'

Becoming aware of the situation, Chihiro made the introductions. "Jiro, these are my friends, Rin and Yasu. Guys, this is Jiro, Haku's cousin," she said, gesturing to the man next to her. Rin and Yasu, now aware of who he was, gasped before getting down on their knees in a deep bow. Yasu apologized frantically, saying, "My apologies, My Lord, we were unaware of your arrival! Please forgive our indecency!"

The surrounding customers all began to murmur at this spectacle, along with many of the workers who passed by. It wasn't very often that they received someone as high-up in social status as the Nigahayami family.

Chihiro felt her face heat up, and suddenly felt incredibly embarrassed at her now seemingly rude introduction. Before she could apologize, Jiro spoke once more.

"Please, get up. I'm not someone worthy of bowing to," He said, helping the two women from the floor. They were both shocked by his kindness. "And please, none of this 'My Lord' business. Call me Jiro," He concluded warmly.

He turned towards all three of them. "Now, if you'll please excuse me, I'm off to see to some necessary preparations for the gala this evening. I trust I'll be seeing you all there?" He said, his eyes pointing to Chihiro. Receiving nods from all three, he left them with a farewell.

"He seems nice, doesn't he?" Chihiro stated blindly. She was then met with the shouts of Rin in her ear. "HA! I'd certainly say so, I mean just LOOK at him."

_That's NOT what I meant, Rin._

"It's refreshing to see someone so powerful and high ranking as him have such a genuinely kind personality," Yasu observed, and Chihiro agreed. In fact, if they hadn't told her, she would have never guessed that he was of nobility. "And he seemed to like you, Chihiro..." Yasu said, nudging her with her elbow.

Yasu and Rin erupted into laughter at seeing Chihiro's horrified expression. "Hey," Rin said, "You could do a LOT worse."

A bell rang out throughout the bathhouse, signifying the end of the shift. Everyone got off of work early that day, in honor of the gala, insuring that everyone would have ample time to get themselves ready.

Rin, turning to the other two girls, spoke excitedly.

"Ooh, come on, let's get ourselves changed!

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**Ok, everyone, tell me the truth, What do you guys think of having longer chapters like these? And what do you think of this Jiro fellow? I know this chapter went on for a while and a lot happened, but I kinda like this longer chapter format. Let me know your opinions in reviews. Thanks again for everyone's support, and especially for reaching over 6000 views! Wow guys! That's incredible! T~T **


	18. 18 - A Night to Remember

**Hello again everyone! Thank you all for your input on the story, I really appreciate all of the support I received from the last few chapters. In honor of New Years Eve being today, I thought I'd start off the year with a new update. After this chapter, please expect slightly more space in between chapters, 1-2 weeks at the most. Anyway, you guys are in for one busy chapter today! ;) Finally, the night we've all been waiting for, the gala! **

**PLEASE KEEP REVIEWING! Anyway, without further ado... Chapter 18, "One Twisted Cinderella"! :D**

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Chihiro held her arms up as the fabric was slipped over her body. It was smooth to the touch and felt like a dream when gliding over her skin. Dozens of yunas surrounded her, giving their 'oohs' and 'aahs' in response. She heard a gasp from Rin, and could see Yasu crossing her arms while examining her work with pride.

"Chi," Rin said, awestruck by the site in front of her. "Take a look."

The human girl turned around to get a full view of herself in the mirror, but before her stood a girl that she had never seen before. Yasu had not only crafted her gown, but took it upon herself to see to Chihiro's hair and makeup, as well.  
Chihiro's chestnut brown hair was curled and set into a braided bun at the back of her neck, with small pieces of hair framing her delicate face. Her makeup was simple; eyes outlined in dark colors to make them stand out, with a hint of gold colored eyeshadow that brought out the amber in both her eyes and dress.

And what a dress it was! The extent of Yasu's skill was shown through every stitch of the gown. It was a beautiful, floor length kimono, but with a modern twist. Where normally a kimono would flow straight to the floor, Chihiro's gown was sleeveless and flared out into a trumpet-style skirt, with a longer back that flowed when she walked. The dark, floral ocean green fabric was embroidered with golden detailing resembling water lilies, and with every turn Chihiro made, her dress seemed to sing with a yellow light. The embroidering itself must have taken hours, and Chihiro wondered how on earth they had managed to make this exquisite gown in only one day.  
She was positively speechless.

Standing there, her jaw left open, she felt like she needed to say SOMETHING, but no words came. Finally, she said the one question on her mind.

"H-how...how did you do this?" Turning to her friends, Yasu responded.  
"It wasn't just Rin and I who worked on it," she said, gesturing to the other yunas, all looking at her with pride.  
"The water lilies were my job," One yuna said.  
"We did the skirt," A few of the younger girls chimed.

"And that bit at the bottom, the flowy back? My idea," Another yuna boasted.

Chihiro would have been lying if she said she hadn't teared up during this moment. She was reminded of what Zeniba once told her, when referring to her hair band that she now kept on her wrist.

"Wear it," The kind old woman said. "It will protect you. It's made from the threads that your friends wove together."

Rin had grown oddly silent over the course of the last few minutes. She finally spoke up, after rubbing her eyes and giving a sniffle. "CHI, YOU'RE SO BEAUTIFUL!" The kitsune spirit wailed, running over and hugging her adoptive sister. Chihiro couldn't help but giggle at the silly woman.

"Come on, you're acting like it's my wedding day!" Chihiro laughed. Yasu and and the yunas soon joined in on the embrace, until the entire room was hugging the girl. Chihiro, realizing that there was only an hour left before the event, separated from the hug.

"Don't you guys need to get ready, too?" She was right. The other yunas had devoted much of their time to getting the human ready, and if they didn't start now, they wouldn't be ready in time.  
Suddenly, the women's quarters were a madhouse as every woman frantically threw their outfits together. Chihiro stood back and couldn't help but smile at the site before her. Now a sophomore in high school, she could infer that the insanity taking place currently could easily be compared to that of Prom Night.

_Only, something about this night seems so much better,_ she mused.

One hour later, and somehow, everyone had gotten ready in time. They were instructed to meet in front of the grand ballroom for a mandatory headcount before being let in.

As Chihiro, Rin and Yasu stood amongst the hoards of people, Chihiro's companions began to people-watch. They seemed to be involved in a conversation about a good looking gentleman standing in the corner, but Chihiro couldn't be bothered to pay attention.  
Her eyes scoured the crowd, searching for a certain familiar face, but there was no sign of her dragon anywhere. Turning around sharply after feeling a tap at her shoulder, she was met by a man in an medieval-styled black and brown suit, who she immediately recognized as Jiro.

"Chihiro!" He enthused, looking over the girl. "You look wonderful!"  
"Thank you, so do you!" She returned, flushing slightly. "Have you seen Haku anywhere?"

"I'm afraid I haven't, he must be late," The man responded. He could sense the girl's lowered spirits after hearing this, telling Jiro everything he needed to know about how she felt towards his cousin.

_What a pity, considering the circumstances,_ he thought inwardly. _I wonder how he sees her._ Before they could continue their smalltalk, the sound of Yubaba's booming voice could be heard from the front of the gathering.

"Honored guests, and friends and family of the couple! If I could have your attention, please," She shouted. All murmurings and side conversations ceased. "As the head of this most humble bathhouse, I would personally like to welcome each and every one of you to tonight's gala in celebration of Akane and Kohaku's engagement!" At this, applause resounded from the crowd; Chihiro clapping politely. The more time passed, the more Jiro's senses could pick up on Chihiro's uneasiness.

"Well, without any further ado, let the merriment begin!"  
Holding out his arm and speaking in mock formality, Jiro spoke to Chihiro once more. "Shall we partake in said merriment, milady?"  
Giggling, she placed her arm delicately around his. "I do believe we shall, good sir!"

And what merriment it was! Rin worked the crowd, gaining attention from several potential suitors, meaning she was rarely caught without a dance partner. Yasu, ever the maternal figure, could be seen in the corner of the room, talking to a couple of the younger bathhouse workers, all dressed formally.

Chihiro made polite smalltalk with Jiro for the first part of the night, as they watched several couples dance. In another corner of the room, Akane could be seen in a gown with the fabric Chihiro chose. Next to her stood a stout looking older man with a permanent scowl on his face, who she could only assume was Akane's father. Her entire entourage could be easily distinguished from the rest of the guests, for they all seemed to have very disapproving looks and attitudes. Turning her attention elsewhere, Chihiro tried to distract herself.

_He must be here somewhere,_ Chihiro thought, but looking around the room, she saw no trace of the dragon spirit. Jiro, upon noticing her disappointment, broached another topic.

"Ah, Chihiro, if you'd come with me, there's someone who I think has been dying to meet you for quite some time now," The green haired man led her away to a woman with striking platinum blonde, stick straight hair that fell to her waist. That must have been her natural hair color all of her life, for she couldn't have been much older than Chihiro's own mother. Chihiro could judge by the lines around her eyes and lips that she was someone who dearly loved to smile. Upon seeing the human, the woman said a polite goodbye to another guest who had been speaking with her.

_She's so incredibly beautiful,_ the girl noted.  
Jiro, standing in between the two women, was the first to speak.  
"Chihiro, this is Yukino Nigahayami. Haku's aunt, and my mother," He said, smiling at the maternal figure. "Mother, I'd like to introduce you to Chihiro Ogino. I doubt I need to tell you who she is." Chihiro blushed at this.

"It is such a pleasure to finally meet you," The kind woman said, grabbing hold of the human's hands. "I see you got my package, and my, how wonderful you look!"

_So it WAS her,_ Chihiro discovered. She felt an immense sense of relief at this.

"Yes, I can't thank you enough for it. It's such fine material, I wish I could pay you back somehow-" she began.

"Oh, no, please. You've done so much for our clan, this is the least I could do." Yukino looked at the gown once more. "The previous owner of this fabric would be so happy knowing you were wearing it."

_Previous... owner?_

Jiro looked at his mother in disbelief. "I knew something about this dress was familiar..."  
Judging Chihiro's confused expression, Yukino continued; a look of reverence in her eyes. "You know of Kohaku's mother, correct? And her tragic fate?" The human nodded. "Well... she was a lover of the finer things. The cloth you wear now was once a part of one of her most favorite gowns..." She paused, grabbing Chihiro's hand once more. "I thought it only fitting that it be passed on to you." Yukino added with a sad smile, before looking at Akane from across the room. "Well, I'd rather have you wearing it than _her_," she said in disgust. "Repulsive. She doesn't even know him."

The world seemed to drop at Chihiro's feet as she heard this, and she suddenly felt lightheaded.  
_His mother... Haku's mother. One day, long ago, Haku's mother had worn this fabric._ She couldn't fathom it.  
"I... Miss Nigahayami, I'm so honored. I've done nothing even close to deserving such a gift."  
"No, no, I'll have none of that! You do it justice, for all you've done for her son. Just wait until he sees you."

Her heart nearly stopped. _Haku!_ He still hadn't seen her. Would he be upset when he did? It was a very real possibility that he may be angry with her for wearing such an important artifact to his family. No, not just his family. Him. An important artifact to him. It was obviously an emotional topic for the dragon, judging by the conversation she had with him when he told her of his mother's death.

"Ah, and there he is now!" Yukino remarked as the woman looked over Chihiro's shoulder. Turning around, there Haku stood, clad in a dark green and white Victorian-styled ensemble. He smiled upon recognizing Chihiro standing in front of him, then his eyes glanced at what she wore. His eyes widened with realization.

Here it comes, Chihiro thought. He's going to hate me.

"You look..." Chihiro tensed at his words.  
"Beautiful."  
_What?_

Did he not realize what she was wearing?

"R-really?" She stammered. Yukino and Jiro both smiled at their interaction.

Chihiro's eyes apologized, but apparently, no apology was needed. Haku nodded slowly, eyes never straying from hers, a smile playing on his lips. He should have guessed what his aunt would be sending her, especially after talking to Chihiro about it this morning.  
Obviously, his aunty was trying to say something to him by having her wear it. Glancing over at her, she winked at him, smiling just as much as he was. 'This girl is the one,' Her expression seemed to say. _Dually noted._

"I see you've already become acquainted with my aunt and Jiro," The dragon smiled fondly at the two.  
Her mind still on the dress, Chihiro hardly recognized the topic change before Yukino spoke on her behalf.  
"Yes, Jiro just introduced us. You didn't tell us she was so beautiful!" Chihiro turned to her in surprise, and Haku sent his aunt a sharp look before responding. "The dress looks wonderful on her... mom would be proud." Although he directed this toward Yukino, Chihiro sighed inwardly in relief.

"Aunty, Jiro, do you mind if Chihiro and I step away for a moment?" He added. His aunt and cousin smiled knowingly and nodded, focusing their attention elsewhere. Haku lead Chihiro away from the crowd to a balcony that she wasn't entirely sure had been there before.

Haku was facing the moon as he leaned against the balcony railing, Chihiro following suit. Neither of them spoke for several moments.  
"I take it she told you about the cloth you are wearing?" He inferred. Chihiro nodded.  
"I'm so sorry," She said, earning a surprised expression from Haku. "If I had known who owned it before me, I would never have worn it."  
"No." He said calmly, "There is no one I know more worthy of it than you, Chihiro. I mean it."  
The intensity in his gaze made her heart flutter more than it ever had.  
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a box the size of a sandwich bag. "I wanted to give you something."  
Opening the box, a small silver chain with a clear green stone pendant lay inside. "This necklace is for you. If ever we are apart, and if you're ever in danger, you'll be able to alert me through this," He said, clasping the chain around her neck. He reached down the collar of his shirt, showing that he was wearing an identical necklace.

Chihiro felt like she were in a dream; at a ball, with her prince charming as he showers her with gifts. But he was acting strangely.

_Why had he mentioned the part about being in danger?_

"You're not telling me something, Haku..." Chihiro knew it was true. Haku, no matter what, always seemed to be one step ahead of her on serious matters. "What's going on, am I in danger?"

"I promise you, you're perfectly safe." He said, amusement in his eyes. "But you may not be forever. And I may not always be there to protect you," Haku said, turning his eyes to the floor.

_He's talking about when he's married to Akane,_ Chihiro pieced together. _I knew this would come, but why did it have to hurt so much?_

Without words, she walked up to the dragon spirit before wrapping her arms around him. She felt his arms move around her before she spoke. "I know."  
Haku wasn't finished. "I'm still fighting this marriage. I'm avoiding it like the plague, but there's still always that chance that I'll have no other option..." His voice trailed off, unable to express the words they both had in their hearts.

_And then I won't be able to see you again._

Letting go of each other and getting one more look at the moon, they decided to head back to the ballroom. It was about time Haku met up with Akane. Before he left her side, he turned to her one more time.  
"I meant what I said," he smirked. "You look so incredibly beautiful."

And with that, we walked off, leaving behind a very reddened Chihiro.

Once again entering the ballroom, Chihiro, for whatever reason, felt like she had just said goodbye to her beloved Haku for the second time.

She could see Rin and Yasu both dancing with their partners, and before long, Jiro met up with her. He brought with him what appeared to be a glass of sparkling cider for her, which she accepted gratefully. He noticed her new accessory, but made no point of mentioning it as they made smalltalk for a little while longer.

"Would you care to dance, Chihiro?" He broached politely. Noticing his kind gesture, she accepted. They walked to the middle of the ballroom, where all the other couples were, just as a waltz began to play. "I have no idea how to dance," Chihiro admitted ashamedly. "Good," Jiro responded. "Neither do I. Just wing it."

Not expecting this response at all, she laughed very loudly, causing several couples to turn their heads in her direction. Jiro, too, began to laugh. "That's a relief," he said. "I feel like you haven't smiled all night."

Chihiro, at first, didn't know how to respond. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, ever since you spoke with my cousin, you've had this dark aura around you..." He quickly explained himself. "Forgive me for not elaborating. Every member of my family is a dragon spirit, but a select few of us are holistic readers. My mother and I are the only ones, currently."

_Holistic what?_ Chihiro had never heard this phrase used before.

"We can read people's auras and sense their mood changes. Everyone has a specific aura unique to them which defines their personality. Depending on their health, or their mood, or any number of variables, their auras can change. Yours has been grey for quite some time now," Jiro concluded.

_He can tell that easily?!_ Chihiro panicked, bringing a smile to Jiro's face. Apparently, he could see that too. She quickly composed herself.  
"I just haven't been feeling too well," she lied. And what an obvious lie it was. Jiro could tell, but he could see that this wasn't the time to discuss it any further.  
The dance ended, and after bowing to one another, Chihiro and Jiro walked to the wall closest to the balcony. Yukino came over briefly, but requested to speak to Jiro alone. The mother and son duo walked several paces further away from Chihiro, out of earshot and far enough away that she couldn't read what they was saying. Briefly, their faces flashed with panic as their heads both turned to face her.

_Is something wrong? What's happening?_ Chihiro was flooded with a sense of urgency.  
Suddenly, she stumbled forward, while clutching her head. The room began to spin. She had just enough time to see Yukino's panicked face and Jiro lunging for her before she crumpled to the ground, and everything faded to black.

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The crowds of people around her began to whisper with concern for the girl, several people turning their heads to see if she was alright. Jiro had swept the unconscious Chihiro in his arms bridal style, with Yukino checking to make sure the coast was clear before she gave her son the signal. The two of them ran to the balcony, and they quickly changed into their dragon forms without a moment to lose before they made their escape.

Just as their image disappeared in the horizon, a loud crashing, followed by shrill screaming could be heard from the ballroom.

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**dun-dun-DUNNNNNNN! Hope you guys liked the chapter, I tried a couple of new things with it. If you notice, there's a lot more dialogue between characters, and I tried to give them a little bit more personality, especially Yukino. Let me know what you think is going to happen next in the reviews! Like I said before, those reviews, follows and favorites are what tell me that I'm doing a good or bad job. Thanks again everyone, talk to you soon, and happy new year!**


	19. 19 - Relocation

**Hello everyone! At the bottom of this chapter, please read the author's note in bolded font. I'm taking about a week to 2 week's break in my writing due to final exams at my school, and I sadly must study. I have a bit more of an explanation at the end of the chapter. Anyways, thanks for everyone's support, and please continue to favorite, review, and follow! Love you all!**

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Within every spirit family, each member has the ability to telepathically communicate to other members of it's clan. After Jiro's encounter with Chihiro, an extremely intense feeling had come over his body, which could only mean one thing. He was being summoned.  
When he had met Chihiro in the dining hall, he had excused himself to attend to arrangements for the gala. Well, he hadn't told a complete lie... he was going to see Haku, and whatever it was for, he guessed it had to do with tonight's event.  
Exiting the dining hall, he didn't make it very far before he spotted a certain teal-haired dragon spirit, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, looking at him expectantly.  
"Hello, Haku," Jiro began. "It's certainly been a while, hasn't it?"  
Haku straightened himself, casting a small smile over his previously solemn features. "It has been. Nearly 50 years, if I'm estimating correctly."  
The two cousins shared an unspoken amusement at this formal interaction. Once upon a time, they had been almost closer than brothers, but that was a long, long time ago. The once familiar air to their acquaintance had been replaced with a more official, almost awkward feeling.  
"You've grown," Jiro observed. "I'm digging the 'too-cool-for-you' demeanor, it works well for you." Few people in Haku's life were permitted to tease him in this way, but Jiro was definitely one of them. It seemed that through the years, that was one of the few things that hadn't changed. Haku returned the sentiment.  
"Why, thank you. I see you're still sporting the girl-hair," Haku countered, gesturing to Jiro's long green locks. This was the final straw before both men cracked, all signs of their formal attitude leaving them.  
The two men shared a smile before cutting the distance between themselves, Jiro laughing as he gave his cousin a brief hug. They exchanged brief introductions; getting the "how've you been?" catch-up conversations out of the way. After several minutes of this, Haku got straight to the point of his summons.  
"I take it you've met Chihiro already?" Haku inquired, getting a nod from Jiro. "I have. Just got done introducing myself, as a matter of fact," Jiro, getting a cheeky grin on his face. "It's no wonder you like her so much."  
Haku would have preferred to have not heard that last part, but continued his explanation as to why he had called his cousin here.  
"You and Aunt Yukino are both aware of the reason behind the gala tonight, correct?" His cousin nodded briefly. "Well, over the years I've become aware of Yukino's intentions for Chihiro and I, which you know are completely ungrounded..." Haku's voice trailed off slightly, causing Jiro to smile mischievously. Haku continued. "And it seems that Akane's family has become aware of this as well." His expression darkened. "My spies have told me that several member's of Akane's family are planning an attack on Chihiro at the gala, tonight."  
Jiro nodded. He had sensed an uneasy air to the bathhouse since the moment they had arrived, and this seemed to be the only logical source of such tension. Knowing Haku wouldn't have brought this up without a reason, he cut right to the chase. "What is it that you need us to do?"  
Haku smiled. The two of them had never been the type to beat around the bush, this was another thing that seemingly hadn't changed. "I need you and Yukino to get her away from the bathhouse, when the time comes."  
Jiro figured as much. "And where should we take her, cousin?"  
"Anywhere, I don't care. Just make sure she's safe and undetected, please." He said, an intense, pleading glint in his eyes. "She's everything I have."  
It was at that moment that Jiro knew that his cousin had truly changed. He had heard for years the gossip floating around Piscanem that the dragon had changed ever since receiving his name back, but he never truly believed it until now. His previously coldhearted, at times malicious cousin had been replaced by a young man who finally allowed himself to feel. Jiro noted that they owed that human girl much more than they originally thought.  
As the two deliberated a strategy in Yukino, Jiro and Chihiro's escape, Haku brought out a small box and showed it to his cousin.  
"I've crafted two Toitsu's; one for her, and one for me. I'll be giving it to her tonight, so we'll never be unable to communicate."  
Jiro's eyes widened, he hadn't realized he was so serious about protecting her. Toitsu's were an ancient tradition in the Spirit World that few spirits still carried on.  
In most cases, it was a ring or a necklace gifted from a spirit of great power to a lesser being. It was a promise of eternal connection, and unending bond that marked whoever wore it as protected. Gifting a Toitsu to someone was a devotion of all of his efforts, both physical, magical and emotional, to her cause. In recent years, it had developed a slightly more romantic connotation, but Jiro thought better of mentioning that to his cousin.  
Before Jiro could respond, Haku continued his request. "Please inform Yukino at once of this plan. There are other preparations I must make, so I must leave you now," Haku turned to leave and began to walk away.  
"Haku." Jiro said his cousins name in such a serious tone that he stopped dead in his tracks. "Tell Chihiro of the attack. You know she has the right to know."  
His cousin turned around partially, unable to look him in the eyes. "I can't. She'd want to stay here and fight," he sighed at the thought. "She knows nothing of these people or how cruel they can be, and she's the most stubborn person I've ever met. She'd take matters into her own hands and get herself killed."  
Jiro marveled at the sight before him. His cousin, willing to be known as a liar to his best friend, if it guaranteed her safety. "You really do care about her, don't you?" Jiro finally asked. "I've never seen you act this way before."  
Haku clenched his hands into fists, never turning fully to face his cousin. His aura oozed with frustration at the current situation. "Above all else, Jiro, please keep her safe." Haku turned and left in a huff.

* * *

After Jiro and Chihiro had finished their dance, Yukino requested to talk to Jiro alone for a moment. Jiro bid Chihiro farewell for the time being, and the mother and son duo walked several feet away. Yukino spoke urgently.  
"I've just heard that Akane's father has excused himself from the gala. Has Chihiro eaten anything from tonight? I get a horrible feeling that someone may have tried to poison her," she concluded.

Jiro's mind was suddenly flooded with panic. He became aware of a dark presence behind him, and turning around, saw Chihiro standing where she was moments before. Her aura was very quickly turning from her usual bright light to a deep, menacing purple. His mother had been correct.

Chihiro stumbled forward, her hand clutching her head as if in sudden pain. Before she collapsed fully, Jiro lunged in her direction to break her fall.  
Knowing he had mere moments to escape, he turned to Yukino, who's maternal instincts had already kicked in. For a middle aged woman, she was tough. Very tough. Her eyes exuded a look that warned any predator who dared to come near.  
"We must leave, at once!" Jiro barked. They had not a moment to lose before the real attack would begin. Changing into their spirit forms as quickly as they could, Yukino and Jiro took off into cool summer's night, an unconscious Chihiro on the younger spirit's back.

* * *

Haku had been on the other side of the ballroom, making small talk with Rin and Yasu, who both acted as though they had had a bit too much sake. A very wobbly Rin had begun to tell him of the many wonderful dance partners she had that night.

"And then... he twirrrled me like thisss," She slurred, using Yasu as an example, who for whatever reason just wouldn't stop giggling.

This is why I don't drink, he remarked, smiling politely at the two silly girls in front of him.

Suddenly, he felt an extremely cold, freezing ache against his chest, along with a sense of panic in his head that could only come from Jiro. Haku, turning away from Rin and Yasu, reached down his shirt and grabbed his Toitsu. The once emerald stone had darkened until it was almost black, telling Haku that Chihiro was in serious danger. As quickly as he could, he ran to where he sensed her presence, only he had gotten there too late.

The sight he beheld was not a pretty one. Jiro had a passed-out Chihiro in his arms, and he along with his mother were hurriedly rushing to the balcony, where he knew they would escape.

_Thank God, she'll be safe..._ Haku thanked Jiro in his mind and turned back to the rest of the ballroom. The attack was about to begin.

The realization came not a moment too soon, for a loud crashing noise resonated from where Haku was just moments before.

Running back, Haku saw the heavy-set grey haired man who had been standing next to Akane earlier that night was gripping Rin by the front of her dress, lifting her several inches off of the floor. The glass she had been holding in her hand lay in shatters, and a crowd of people had begun to gather.

"Where is the human?!" He growled. The previously drunk Rin spit in his face, causing the fat man to recoil instantly.

"I don't know who the hell you think you are," Rin snarled, her face dark. "But you are going NOWHERE near Chihiro." The man, sprawled on the floor, obviously didn't like this response and got back to his feet. He looked like he was about to attack once more when a hauntingly calm voice touched all of their ears.

"Father, stop." The entire crowd turned to see Akane passing through, her eyes pointed at Haku as she walked over to him. "I think my fiancé has all the answers we're looking for." Haku snarled a deep, throaty utterance. There truly was no reasoning with this woman, was there?

"The only way you'll get to her is if I'm dead and buried," Haku growled, hatred in his eyes.

"My, my, so dramatic! Now do you see why this needed to happen? You're becoming too attached to that puny little thing, anyone can see it," her voice purred. This entire ordeal was mere child's play in her eyes, and she was enjoying herself immensely. "We were only doing you a favor, darling, please don't be cross." The crowds began to whisper at hearing Akane's words. Rin and Yasu stood to the side, glaring daggers at the witchy woman.

Haku's pupils were almost black, and he was filled with more rage than he had ever felt before. Every word out of her mouth was another second he would spend ripping her to shreds. As if reading his mind, Akane snapped her fingers, causing at least 10 menacing guards to emerge from the crowds of people.

"Boys," Akane purred. "Please detain my dear fiancé at the first chance you get. But be careful, I have a feeling he's a feisty one," She said before throwing her head back in laughter. "If you can help it, keep him alive. But don't stress too much about it, accidents happen! Besides that, you may have your way with him," Akane finished, causing the eager men to grin devilishly. "Now, if you'll excuse us. We must be off."

Placing her arm delicately around her father's, she waved her free hand, casting a spell and causing them both to disappear. Most of the guests could have guessed at the impending battle that was about to take place, and ran immediately to the doors, fleeing like mice.

All that remained were the 10 guards, Rin, Yasu, and a dragon spirit seething with rage. "Girls," Haku breathed, focusing all of his attention to the guards that had begun to circle him. "Leave, now."

"Absolutely not!" Rin shouted. "If these idiots pose a threat to my baby sister... consider them dead." She finished, her eyes suddenly losing all drunkenness and humor. Yasu rolled up her sleeves, preparing for the impending fight.

If anyone could have seen Haku at that moment, they would be terrified. The true personality of the dragon spirit was about to be awoken. He gave a throaty growl that no human could replicate, which slightly resembled a deep, throaty laugh. "Akane," Haku muttered. "You've just made a big mistake."

* * *

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump._  
All she could feel was her heartbeat throbbing in her head. She tried to follow it's rhythm, but it was far too irregular. Chihiro wanted nothing more than to look at her surroundings, but all she could muster was opening one eye just a crack. This was returned with a blinding light that burned her eyes.  
Then she looked to the side of the bed she appeared to be in, and saw him. The rest of the world around her was distorted from the shock of light, but she could just make out a green haired man sitting by her side, his hand grasping hers. For a brief second, the throbbing ache in her body was numbed as she swore she could recognize his face.

"H-haku?" Her voice croaked. Just that small amount of effort sent waves of pain shooting down her body. The man's grasp on her hand tightened.  
"Shh, Chihiro, everything will be alright soon. Just hang on..." A calm voice returned. But that was not Haku's voice.  
Chihiro's eyes had finally begun to refocus, and she could see the long locks of hair protruding from the man's head.  
"Jiro... where am I?" Chihiro groggily sputtered before letting out a yawn. Sleep would befall her once more, very shortly.  
"You're safe, that's all that matters." Jiro hoped that this would be enough to calm her, but her intense gaze said otherwise. He continued. "You're in Piscanem, at the Nigahayami Estate."  
Jiro should have guessed the effect this would have on the girl. Her eyes widened in panic, and she opened her mouth as if she had a million more questions in mind, but none of these questions would reach the surface due to the sleeping spell that Jiro cast upon her.  
Chihiro's head fell against the pillow with a soft thud, and Jiro released his hand. The poison would be leaving her body soon enough, but the hours that followed would not be pleasant in terms of comfort.  
Jiro couldn't help but analyze the human girl's face. She looked serene. The past day that he had known her, her face had been very mature; it was a face belonging to someone who had faced more hardship than most could endure. But seeing her lying there now, untainted by the troubles of the world, Jiro marveled at the youthfulness to her expression.

_In her world, she must have been considered quite pretty. _

He remained there for several minutes, trying to figure her out. From the legends that he had heard flying around this nation years ago, to the way Haku seemed to drool over her... there were many aspects of her personality that he just couldn't understand. Specifically, how she managed to always stay on everyone's side.

_It's so strange_, Jiro pondered. _Her immensely kind personality has given her__ such a natural ability to make those around her want to protect and love her._  
As he sat up from his stool and headed towards the door of the bedroom, Jiro's highly tuned ears picked up murmuring coming from the sleeping human. The words were gibberish, like a toddler's murmurings from a good dream. A hint of a smile playing on his lips, Jiro closed the door behind him silently before heading down the hall.

_It's better to let her rest, _he concluded. _Her questions will be answered when she wakes once more, plus, I get the suspicion she may be here for a while._

* * *

***AUTHOR'S NOTE, READ THIS!***

**Hello everyone! I've updated once more, and I wanted to give a special thank you to all of the wonderful reviews I've been receiving. Follows are great, so are favorites, but there's just something about a review that feels all the more special. Please do leave one if you get the chance!**

**Alright, so the main point of this note is to let you guys know that this weekend and next week, I'm going to be taking my final exams. This is an extremely stressful time for me, as several of my grades really depend on this test. So, I'm going to stop writing (for that week only, don't worry) to allow myself more mental capacity to study and focus.**

**Don't worry, it'll only be for the week! Thank you all again for your continued support, let me know what you'd like in this story or where you think it's headed. I always love seeing your guys' ideas for the plot. I love you all, and I'll talk to you in about a week's time! **


	20. 20 - New Dreams

_Previously: _

_"Boys," Akane purred. "Please detain my dear fiancé at the first chance you get. But be careful, I have a feeling he's a feisty one," She said before throwing her head back in laughter. "If you can help it, keep him alive, but don't stress too much about it. After all, accidents happen! Besides that, you may have your way with him," Akane finished, causing the eager men to grin devilishly. "Now, if you'll excuse us. We must be off."_

_Placing her arm delicately around her father's, she waved her free hand, casting a spell and causing them both to disappear. Most of the guests could have guessed at the impending battle that was about to take place, and ran immediately to the doors, fleeing like mice._

_All that remained were the 12 guards, Rin, Yasu, and a dragon spirit seething with rage. "Girls," Haku breathed, focusing all of his attention to the guards that had begun to circle him. "Leave, now."_

_"Absolutely not!" Rin shouted. "If these idiots pose a threat to my baby sister... consider them dead." She finished, her eyes suddenly losing all drunkenness and humor. Yasu rolled up her sleeves, preparing for the impending fight._

_If anyone could have seen Haku at that moment, they would be terrified. The true personality of the dragon spirit was about to be awoken. He gave a throaty growl that no one else could replicate, which slightly resembled a deep, throaty laugh. "Akane," Haku muttered. "You've just made a big mistake."_

* * *

The had been going on for quite a while now. Whoever these henchmen were, they were obviously highly trained in the art of combat. They were clad in armored attire with katanas at their sides, their faces showing no signs of mercy or weakness.

Rin and Yasu each battled 2 henchmen, and the two women showed no signs of injury or fatigue. Rin had changed into her spirit form, a humanoid kitsune spirit with ears and a fox's tail. She was light on her feet and danced around her opponents with ease, while Yasu fended off the other man as best as she could.  
This left the rest of the henchmen to Haku. He had already knocked 5 of them out, meaning there were 4 left, all attacking him at once. But this sort of thing was exactly what Haku had trained years for with his father. If he had his blade with him, this battle would have been over already, but he had no choice but to battle hand to hand.  
With a loud grunt, one of the bigger henchmen rushed forward, trying to jab at Haku with his fist. But, Haku's senses were far too quick. He grabbed his fist mid-air, mere inches away from his body, and twisted his arm behind the brute's body at an unnatural angle, causing a shriek of pain to omit from his opponents lips. As he held him there in the arm lock, another man lunged for him. Using the man with the twisted arm as protection, Haku whirled him in front of himself to receive the blow from the other man, knocking him out cold.  
3 left. The brute who had unwittingly knocked out his own comrade gave a howl of rage. Before he could attack, Haku held out his hand, causing a fierce wind to swirl around the enraged man, pinning him up against the wall. He struggled as he tried to get out of his grasp, but to no avail. Haku took hidden delight at seeing him squirm, and to anyone else, this would have been the perfect opportunity to kill the man.  
But he couldn't. However tough he projected himself to be, Haku could never bring it upon himself to take another man's life. Seeing the blade plunge through his father's back all those years ago, he swore he could never be responsible for inflicting so much pain on someone else.  
Haku settled for a punch to the head, instead. The man immediately stopped squirming and slumped to the floor, unconscious. He grabbed the katana at the fallen man's side.

_Now THIS is more like it_, Haku thought with a wicked grin. Knowing the other two henchmen couldn't be too far behind, Haku turned around and was immediately met with the next man running towards him, sword in hand, ready to strike. But once again, Haku was too quick.  
The dragon spirit brought his sword up to meet with his in a mighty clash of metal. The henchman tried to overpower him in strength, thinking that he would win, but Haku was one step ahead of him.  
Kicking outward, Haku swiped at his opponent's legs, bringing him to the floor with a mighty cry. Bringing the hilt of his sword down, Haku hit him forcefully in the spine, rendering him unable to get back on his feet.  
A sudden, deep slice at his shoulder, across his upper back, made Haku writhe in agony as he stumbled forward. The final henchman, a well-built muscular man, had gotten a blow in before Haku could turn to face him.  
His endorphins kicked into overdrive. Grabbing the unconscious henchman's sword from the ground in one swift motion, he brought it around and met with the big man's knee. It made direct contact with his target, but the ruffian continued standing, only wincing in response.  
Haku's wound was bleeding quickly. If he didn't end this fight soon, he could lose consciousness and be killed in an instant. His sight was already beginning to become blurry, showing just how little time he had left.  
Using the last of his strength, he was just about to swing his sword once more when his opponent brought the hilt of his sword up with a jolt into Haku's nose. It began to bleed instantly and furiously, and his head was sent into a frenzy of disorientation. He fell to his knees, unable to battle further.  
All he could see was the man in front of him, the victor. This was it for Haku. He closed his eyes as the man raised his sword, about to deliver the final blow. He tried to think of the one thing that had kept him going throughout the years, his motivation to live, his muse. Haku could see her sweet smile shining down on him.  
"I-I'm sorry, Chihiro..." He got out before the man brought down his sword with a mighty roar.  
But that sword never made contact with the dragon spirit. With a shrill shriek, Rin had moved forward just in time with a sword of her own, killing the man before he had gotten to Haku. Eyes widened in shock, the ruffian fell to the floor with a loud thud.  
The remaining henchmen had all been taken down by both Rin and Yasu, but primarily Rin. As quickly as she could, the fox spirit ran to Haku's side while yelling orders to Yasu like a military general.  
"YASU, get me three rolls of gauze, a bottle of alcohol, needles, thread, and grab Kamaji. If you don't hurry, he's going to bleed to death!" Rin's eyes were as serious as a heart attack. She immediately ripped a portion of her dress off, tying a knot over the wound, trying to slow down the blood flow.

Yasu had never seen so much blood in her life, and stood there for a moment in horror while staring at Haku's crumpled form. His eyelids were fluttering wildly, and his body could go into shock at any moment. Seeing her immobile, Rin practically screamed, "GET OUT OF HERE, NOW!"  
She blinked in realization and ran out of the ballroom as quickly as she could to find the necessary materials.

Rin turned back to Haku and began to tear off his shirt to get a better look at the wound. His eyes were dilated, he was feverish and his hands were shaking. _Why was he deteriorating so quickly?_  
Haku, even in his feverish state, knew what she was thinking and muttered in between frantic breaths, "P-poison... The blade was poisoned..." Rin's eyes widened in horror, and she prayed to every God in her knowledge that Yasu hurried with the supplies.  
How could she look Chihiro in the eyes if anything had happened to her Haku? She couldn't even fathom how hurt she would be. Not only that, but losing Haku would mean Rin lost one of her closest friends... She shook her head, snapping herself out of that train of thought.  
Getting his shirt fully off of him, Rin couldn't help but notice the green stone hanging from Haku's neck. Haku noticed the shocked expression and gave a sharp exhalation of laughter, causing him to wince. He took several breaths before speaking.

"Yes, it's a T-toitsu," He stammered. "Don't worry, she's safe."

Relief flooded Rin's mind. She hadn't realized just how worried she was for Chihiro.  
"Where is she, Haku?" She asked urgently but softly, trying not to weaken Haku further.  
"The Nigahayami Estate." He answered before a fit of coughing came over him. The bleeding from his nose had stopped, but the wound on his back and shoulder continued to bleed more and more. Veins under his skin appeared to darken with every passing second, indications of blood poisoning. "With Jiro and my aunt."  
Haku tried to breathe deeply for a minute before adding more.  
"Rin, please tell me the truth. How does it look?"  
"Honestly, you look like death warmed over," She said seriously before giving a faint chuckle. This was a defense mechanism for her. When deeply upset, she would laugh. This quickly gave her the connotation around the bathhouse of being a jokester, but in reality, she was terrified for Haku's life.  
"Please, Haku, just stay awake. Stay awake for her." Rin didn't need to say her name, for Haku already knew. He fought the urge to sleep as long as he could until Yasu finally arrived with Kamaji at her side.  
Yasu ran to Rin, dropping off the materials. Kamaji got one look at Haku before heaving a deep sigh. "Good God..."  
Just from seeing the pale, sweaty sheen of his skin to the way Haku's face was scrunched in a permanent expression of pain and suffering, Kamaji could see that whatever the knife was poisoned with, it may end up taking his life. Killing a spirit was a difficult job; in fact, it was next to impossible. But whoever had poisoned this blade had obviously thought ahead, and had engineered this poison with the intent of killing the dragon spirit. Judging by the look on Rin's face, she could tell as well.  
But Kamaji had never been one to back down from a challenge. Rushing over, he got to work immediately.

* * *

Akane lied down on the gigantic pillow top mattress that she had ordered earlier that day. Her furniture was probably worth more than the entirety of the bathhouse she resided in, but was there really a financial limit for comfort? Her father certainly didn't seem to think so, for he saw to it that every one of her needs was met with no hesitation whatsoever.  
Her room was adorned in luxurious items and lavish gifts, such as chandeliers and Victorian style furniture. In her armoire contained hundreds of gowns in all colors and styles. To anyone else, such a room would have been a dream come true. But not for her. It was never enough.  
Her father sat in one of the over-the-top loveseats located next to her bed, a quizzical expression on his bloated features.  
"Was it really such a good idea to leave the guards downstairs?" The fat man inquired. "I know you told them to keep him alive, but I honestly think they might kill him..."  
Akane sat upright with a frustrated expression. "Do you really doubt me, father?!" The man immediately cast his eyes to the floor in guilt.  
"No, pumpkin. Of course not," He soothed, not daring to say anything else. She was in one of her moods again.  
"Besides," Akane drolled, slumping into her pillows once more, "I don't really care if he dies, anyway." Her father turned to her quickly with a frightened look.  
"Don't look at me like that, father," Akane said, smirking at the reaction she received. "It's now obvious he'd never willingly marry me. He's too attached to that human twit. So," She stood up and checked her hair in the mirror, occasionally glancing at her father's face in the reflection. "If he does die, she'll be absolutely crushed." She oozed before giving out a lighthearted laugh. "That'll show her who's really in charge!" Satisfied with her appearance, she went back to her bed, ignoring her father's nearly disgusted reaction.

The man was exasperated. "Darling, Haku's parents, your mother, and I all agreed to this union when you were both too young to remember. Your marriage is already guaranteed, so why bother going through all of this trouble with the human girl? I agreed to help have her killed, but I honestly don't understand your reasoning." Despite his daughter's cold hearted ways, he did feel somewhat guilty about the events that have transpired. In his eyes, he didn't see what was so bad about the human.  
"There you go questioning me again." Akane growled and paused before she continuing in a softer tone. "Let me put this delicately. The mortal has quite a bit of nerve, getting Haku's very homeland to side with her during this entire ordeal. Surely, in getting such a following, she must be planning on taking Haku for herself. What will I do, with her and an entire nation on her side? She's made them hate me, father!" Akane hit her fists on her pillows like a child on the verge of a tantrum. "I've given up on having him love me! But I will NOT hand him to such a disgraceful creature, and I will NOT be the laughingstock of an entire nation." She gave a huff of laughter. "Forget a single nation-We would be the laughingstock of the entire Spirit World!" Anger flashed in her eyes. "Ha, choosing a human over me! Who does he think he is?!"  
She turned to her father once more, who had gone entirely silent. "There will be one of two options ahead of us. Either he dies now, which would in turn break the girl's heart. OR, he will live. And if he lives and _DOESN'T_ marry me, I'll have _both_ of their heads on a platter," Akane growled, a new resolution in her heart. "Now, leave me at once. I wish to be alone."  
Akane's father chose not to say anything else out of fear of what else he would hear, and stood to leave. Shutting the door with a thud, he couldn't help but wonder what he would do for a bottle of sake right now.

* * *

There was only darkness. The blackness of her surroundings was nearly choking her, it was so intense. Chihiro couldn't tell where she was, but all she knew was that there were no walls, floors, or doors to this new location. The air was heavy, as if filled with the suspense, bordering panic, that Chihiro felt inside herself. She tried to move around, but her body was frozen in place.  
Then there was the silence. It was deafening; filling every crevice of her body and soul with a dull ache that she couldn't quite place. She wanted nothing more than to put her fingers in her ears, just so she could hear her heartbeat. Just to know she was alive. But she couldn't.  
And suddenly, sound. It was faint, but in contrast to the silence she was surrounded with before, it nearly blasted in her ears. Just as she had hoped for, it was a heartbeat, but it was beating far too fast. There was no one there to tell her who's heartbeat it belonged to, but somewhere inside her, she knew.

It was Haku's. And he was dying.

The paralysis she had felt moments before finally released itself, and she burst into a sprint. She didn't know where, for the darkness was still blinding her, but she kept running. She would keep running until she found him. Chihiro could feel a crippling pain spreading from her shoulder to the rest of her body, but she wasn't being attacked.  
_What kind of dream_ is _this?_  
She tried to decipher what all of this meant. Her surroundings told her that this was nothing but a dream, but something was wrong. Something felt real.  
_'Haku!' _She called out, or at least she tried to. Chihiro opened her mouth but no sound escaped. She could only hear it resonating in her head.  
She tried calling out again, this time louder. Chihiro continued to do so until she was practically screaming his name inside her mind, begging for any response, but none came.

Finally, she found him. His body was crumpled in a heap of blood, and his face showed that he was in obvious pain. Haku's body was slightly translucent and had this faint glow about it, giving him an almost angelic look that made Chihiro wonder whether he was truly there or not. But, even if it wasn't truly him, she didn't care. It felt real, and seeing him in this much pain chilled her to the bone.  
Rushing to his side, she tried to find the source of the blood, and stopped when she saw the mighty gash. It stretched from the top of his shoulder all the way to his lower back, crossing over his spine. The wound was several inches deep, and you could see through to the bone.  
Chihiro took a sharp breath as she realized that the pain she felt in her shoulder was the exact same spot where Haku was injured. She began to panic, as the sound of the heartbeat surrounding her continued to accelerate more and more. Eventually that heartbeat would tire and give up.

She felt a freezing cold against her chest that burnt to the touch, and Chihiro quickly reached down to grab hold of the necklace that Haku had given her back at the bathhouse. Holding it in her hands, she felt at peace. Something told her exactly what she had to do.

Rolling the unconscious Haku onto his stomach, Chihiro held the necklace in one hand. With her free hand, she touched his bare skin, directly on top of the open wound. Where her fingers touched, the wound began to glow with white light as it stopped bleeding. After a full minute, the wound had healed almost completely. As she continued to touch his back, she felt power surging through her veins, flowing from her arm into Haku.  
The wound left a nasty scar. His eyebrows were furrowed, and his breaths were shallow. Chihiro could see that he was in immense pain, but she didn't worry.  
Moving his hair out of the way of his forehead, Chihiro closed her eyes and placed her hand on him, flushing the pain and toxins out of his body. Haku's face immediately calmed, and he gave a long sigh in his sleep, at last finding peace.  
Haku was older than herself by hundreds of years, but seeing him sleeping so soundly made her see just how like a child he could be.  
"See?" She murmured, at last able to speak. "All better."  
Upon hearing her voice, Haku's eyes flashed open in an instant, locking eyes with hers immediately. Chihiro gasped in surprise, but just as quickly as he had opened his eyes, the dream had ended.

* * *

She sat up straight in her bed, causing the woman next to her, placing a tray of tea at her bedside to jump.  
"Oh! Miss, you're awake?! Please, rest some more, let me call for Master Jiro at once-" A female servant dressed in a blue-grey frock began to say, trying to soothe the panicked girl before she was interrupted.  
"Where am I?!" Chihiro demanded, forgetting her conversation with Jiro the last time she was awake. "And how did I get here?"  
"You're at the Nigahayami Estate, miss," The servant cooed. "And forgive me, I'm not entirely sure how you got here either. All I know is that Mistress Yukino and Master Jiro arrived here late last night, and you were with them. Master Jiro stayed with you nearly the entire night and early morning, getting the poison out of your body. Apparently, you were attacked. Forgive me for being so forward, miss," The young servant locked her eyes to the floor, "But you're lucky to be alive."

Chihiro slumped back in her bed, remembering the conversation she had with Jiro before she had fallen asleep again. She had been poisoned?

_By who? What had happened at the bathhouse?_

"Oh, and don't worry about your gown, I've cleaned it and hung it in the armoire. I'd hoped you wouldn't mind, but I took the liberty of having you changed into more comfortable clothing," The servant said, gesturing to the white, airy cotton nightgown that Chihiro now wore. "Now, if you'll excuse me, miss, I'll go get Master Jiro. I'm sure you have lots of questions." The servant bowed before exiting the room, leaving the befuddled Chihiro alone with her thoughts.  
She felt much better than she had the last time she was awake, recalling her pounding headache. Her dream came back to her in pieces. There was darkness. Then she saw some ghostly being in a slump of blood on the floor...

_Haku. _  
She grabbed at her chest, her hand feeling for the necklace that lie under her nightgown. Chihiro pulled it out, gazing at it in wonder.  
Chihiro was brought out of her thoughts by a knock at the door. With a croak, the huge wooden door slowly opened until Jiro popped his head in. He smiled at her and was about to give his greeting when his kind expression was replaced by a look of terror. He rushed to her side, placing his hand on her forehead.  
"Chihiro... your aura! Something's wrong..." The way he refused to look her in the eye was beginning to frighten her. Was she ill? Was there poison still in her system? "It's white. Pure white- almost blinding. I haven't seen something like this in decades."

"What does that mean?" She got out in a squeak. Chihiro prepared herself for the worst news.  
Jiro sat at the stool by her bedside. "It means... your soul now contains powers that are very unlike that of your species. Very much like a spirit's powers." He tied his long hair back with a quizzical expression, searching her face for some hidden answer. He seemed almost saddened by the news. Chihiro was shocked.  
"I... have powers? How is this possible?" Chihiro stared at her pristinely white bedsheets, trying to process the information. "I don't feel any different."  
"I have no idea," He admitted. "But, Chihiro, do you understand just what this means?"  
She shook her head and was beginning to get seriously alarmed by Jiro's intense expression. She braced herself,

"I'm sorry to have to say this, Chihiro..." He sighed, unable to put it into proper words. "But you are no longer mortal."

* * *

**Duh-duh-DUHHHH! There we go guys, a nice extra long chapter with a massive plot twist. Let me know what you all think! Don't worry, all will be explained in later chapters. Also, thank you to all who wished me luck on my final exams! They all went very well, and I ended the semester with very nice grades haha! *high-fives self* Expect another chapter from me around this time next week! I feel like I'm really getting into the groove with this whole writing thing, and it's a total blast. Let me know what you like and don't like, and again, give me suggestions! I love constructed criticism!**

**Also, you know the drill! Please leave a review, favorite and a follow if you enjoy my writing and the story! Again, REVIEWS. I love them! The reviews are what keep me going, so please do leave one if you can! **

***** By the way, if you or anyone you know would be interested in doing fanart for this story, please leave me a private message. You can choose any scene from any chapter you want, and I would link your website or deviantart link in every single one of my chapters. I would love to see my words come to life through your art!**

**Thank you all again for your unwavering support, love you guys! Talk to you soon!**


	21. 21 - A Long Awaited Reunion

**Hello everyone~! Sorry for the late upload! I kept writing and re-writing this chapter only because, for whatever reason, the words just weren't flowing properly when I reread it. Anyways, thank you all for your kind reviews and unending support, it's really been incredible! I also wanted to mention that if any of you want to add me on facebook, my name is Emma Rose Taub. Please feel free to message me on there and let me know what you think of the story, because I guarantee I check that more often than I do this!**

**You know the drill. Here comes the part where I beg you for reviews! XD I really, really do love them. I guarantee I read every single one of them and take the words you say into great consideration, so if you do have any suggestions or comments on the story and how it's going, please do let me know! Also, please favorite and follow if you enjoy the story!**

**Also, at the end of this chapter I have a brief explanation of Haku and Jiro's relationship. As you know, they're cousins (but growing up they were more like brothers), but I went into a bit more explanation at the bottom. Well, I think that's about all I have to let you know... so without further ado, here's Chapter 21, A Long Awaited Reunion! (Yeah I know it's a lame chapter title, I'm awful at those) Bye for now!**

* * *

_I'm sorry, Chihiro, but you're no longer mortal._

The words played on a constant loop in her head, and with each repetition she became more and more confused. The minute the words had escaped Jiro's lips, he grabbed her hand and hurriedly led her out of the room at a brisk pace. Chihiro couldn't begin to ask any of the more important questions in her mind, so she settled for the easiest thing she could think of.

"W-where are we going?"

Jiro looked at her almost sympathetically. Even he knew what utter turmoil she must be experiencing. "My office," He responded. "Don't worry. We're going to get this sorted."

Chihiro felt that she could trust Jiro, and was comforted slightly by his words. But, even so, there was a lot on her mind.

_I'm going to live forever? How did this happen?_

Searching her mind for possibilities, she found none. But, there was one pestering thought that refused to be ignored. Although she tried as much as she could to avoid such a childish topic, she couldn't help but think of the one reason why she was certain she and Haku could never be together... her mortality. With that very issue wiped away... could they maybe...

_No! I can't.** We** can't. I'm a human. Surely, this is all just some big mistake, right?_

Shaking her head clean of any ideas concerning the topic, she focused on following Jiro down the long halls of the Nigahayami household. It felt just like a castle from her story books growing up. All of the halls were decorated ornately with marble flooring that must have cost a fortune, centuries-old stone walls and high ceilings with intricate glass chandeliers. Not to mention the giant glass windows that went from the floor to the ceiling and overlooked a giant lake surrounded by a small forest.

They passed dozens of of rooms along the way, intriguing Chihiro's curious personality. She made a mental note to return here later. They also passed different workers of the household, including the servant who had brought Chihiro's tea to her when she woke up. Every worker stopped what they were doing and bowed deeply when Jiro passed, and then returned to their work.

Making several turns down different corridors, Jiro stopped in front of a massive pair of double doors, which must have been his office. As they approached, the doors opened themselves as if welcoming their master.

Jiro immediately made a beeline to the massive bookshelves that lined every wall of the some-50-foot-high room, searching for any book that might offer an answer to their dilemma.

Chihiro took several steps inside and was awestruck by her surroundings. This was obviously no ordinary office. The room itself was about 5 times the size of the bedroom she was in beforehand, and contained everything from a sitting nook by the wall-wide window, to a bed in the corner of the room. She guessed that this room also functioned as his personal quarters. She turned a full 360 degrees, getting a full view, and stopped when she finally caught sight of what lie above her head.

The ceiling was covered by a mural that depicted a starry sky on a clear, cloudless evening. Hues of blue and purple swirled to create a glorious interpretation of the natural scene. Where there would have been stars, there were instead different colored mosaic glass pieces of all shapes and sizes, and with every step she took, another one would shine in a different colored light. It was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen.

And then there was the moon. It was a gigantic circle, a little larger than a basketball, filled with brilliant topaz and diamond gems. She found a chair near Jiro's desk and sat down, never taking her eyes from the picture above.

Jiro allowed himself to look up from the book in his hand, and he couldn't help but gaze at the girl. The awestruck expression in her eyes depicting curiosity and wonderment made him smile warmly.

"I love it too," He remarked with a light laugh, causing Chihiro to snap her head in his direction. She had almost forgotten he was there. "I find it very difficult to sleep, so I had this put up long ago to give me something to think about." He walked to where she sat, staring at the moon. "I would follow the paths of the stars and eventually fall asleep before I reached the moon," He finished.

They stood there a moment longer, soaking up the picture in front of them before Chihiro asked the question pressing in her mind.

"Jiro, have you found anything about my aura yet?"

Jiro nodded and walked to his desk while speaking, picking up his book as he went. "Come and see. I just found this section on Toitsu's-" He stopped at seeing her confused expression.

"The necklace around your neck, Chihiro..." He added softly. "Did Haku really not tell you what it was?" Chihiro shook her head, and Jiro gave a long sigh.

"That damned cousin. Well. Have a seat, there's some explaining I must do before we continue," He gestured to the seat in front of his desk. She sat so that he was directly facing her.

"Haku gave you that necklace, and probably said something along the lines of, 'With this, I'll be able to make sure you're safe', right?" Chihiro nodded. "Well, that wasn't entirely wrong, but the premise of Toitsu's are much stronger than that. Toitsu's are an ancient tradition started centuries ago, as a way for stronger spirits to protect lesser spirits. It was the equivalent of promising one's resources, time and energy into the wellbeing of the other spirit," He paused before continuing. "Forever."

Something clicked inside Chihiro's head as he said that final word. Forever.

"Since toitsu's are always exchanged between spirits, the eternal connotation has never been an issue since we're immortal anyway. He must have been unaware that it would cause this effect." She subconsciously reached for the necklace at her neck, wrapping her fingers firmly around the stone. Jiro stared into her eyes with a sad nod.

Chihiro began to panic. "C-can't I just take it off?!" He shook his head sadly.

"I'm so sorry, Chihiro."

She sat there for a moment, realizing the exact meaning of the rock around her neck. _Forever_. Now, this unattainable dream that she had wanted ever since she left the Spirit World was her reality, yet there was an unspeakable sadness that came over her when she thought about it now.

She knew in coming to the Spirit World that she would most likely never see her family or friends ever again in this life, and maybe she hadn't thought about it at the time, but she held tightly to the belief that when she had died, they would all be together someday. She had always believed this, but now... it seemed that even that could never be.

"...Chihiro?" Jiro called her name softly. She looked at him with eyes brimming with tears. He felt his heart constrict just looking at her. Such pain. Such loneliness. It was a reality that all spirits were faced with, but it was something else entirely for a human.

He sympathised with her deeply. Standing up, he walked to her chair and helped her up before giving her a hug. She felt so small in his arms; so frail. He felt her chest began to heave as a few light sobs came over her. "Everything's going to be ok..." He whispered to her as she cried. "I promise."

Chihiro wiped the remaining tears from her eyes and sat down in her chair, Jiro in his. Neither of them knew what could be said that would be appropriate for the situation, so they sat there in silence until Jiro began to grumble.

"Damn that Haku. Look what a mess he's caused! Just wait until I get my hands on him..." Chihiro's eyes widened in panic as she cut Jiro off.

"PLEASE, don't tell Haku about this. Like you said, he surely must not have known about it at the time... I just know that if he found out he would never forgive himself." She looked at her hands in her lap. "Don't tell him unless we know there's nothing that can be done."

Jiro nodded knowingly. This was a lot for her to process, and if not telling Haku would somehow help her with coping, he wouldn't say a word. He sighed before continuing. "Well, onto lighter matters. Along with this new, erm..." He paused, "development, you've been given certain powers. In the time that you're staying here, I feel that it's important that we learn just what type of powers they are, and teach you how to use them."

Another thought popped into Chihiro's mind. "I'm staying here? For how long? Also, what happened at the bathhouse?"

Jiro slapped himself in the forehead. "I KNEW I had forgotten to tell you something!"

Jiro proceeded to fill Chihiro in on Haku's summons, his request to take her away from the bathhouse in case an attack were to take place, and how she had been poisoned. She sat there, without questions, soaking in all of this new information.

* * *

Rin, Kamaji and Yasu stood in a half circle around Haku in complete awe of what had just transpired. Just as Kamaji sat down to get to work on saving Haku's life, his wound started glowing with a white light, and when it had died down, all signs of poisoning and injury had left him. He had just undergone weeks of healing and recovery in under a minute. The spider spirit had never seen anything quite like it before.

The unconscious dragon spirit's eyes flashed open as if seeing a ghost, and he gave a loud shout as if attempting to call back a vision he had seen. "Chihiro!" He tried to stand back on his feet, but Kamaji quickly pushed him back down to his lying down position. "Lay down! We don't know whether there are still injuries we need to tend to!"

Haku fought out of the spider spirit's grasp. "I'm FINE! I need to see Chihiro, NOW." And with that, he ran out of the doors of the ballroom; Rin and Yasu following suit. "What in the hell do you think you're doing, dragon? You were dying 2 minutes ago!"

"I don't know, myself... I'll explain on the way to the bridge. I need to go to Piscanem, immediately."

* * *

Chihiro had been filled in on all that had been transpired in the past few days. She felt like something was off the second she had been gifted her toitsu... and now everything suddenly made sense. Every nuance in Haku's speech, every pause, every extra second he spent watching over her, she finally understood. He was protecting her, even when she didn't know it. But hadn't it always been that way? Even when she was there as a young girl, he always had been the one to watch out for her.

_What did I ever do to deserve him? More importantly... how can I ever repay him?_

Recalling how Jiro had said that her necklace connected directly to Haku's, she reached up and grabbed her pendant. She knew it wouldn't be much, but she felt it necessary. Focusing all of her energy into her words, she tried her best to make a connection to Haku.

_"Haku. I don't know if you can hear me. I'm not even sure if I'm doing this right... she trailed off in her mind. But I'm here at the Nigahayami estate with Jiro and Yukino. Everything's fine, the poison has already left my body... Anyway. I just wanted to say thank you. For everything."_ She focused all of her positive emotions and energy into the rock in her hands.

_"It's kinda funny, thinking about it now. It's always been this way, hasn't it? I'm always the damsel in distress, with you've always been the one saving me. I really don't understand why you'd choose me of all people to watch over... but I'm thankful for it."_

She paused a moment before allowing her mind to wander slightly.

_"It's so much easier to talk to you this way. I normally get so nervous around you, but somehow, this toitsu has pretty much solved that issue."_

Crap. She hadn't meant to think about that, but got so carried away in her own mind that she ended up saying something she never thought she could say to his face. Pausing a moment, she continued.

_"Anyways, knowing you, you're probably on your way over and should be here in a couple days. Please stay safe. Talk to you soon."_

She opened her eyes, realizing that Jiro was no longer speaking. He was instead staring at the rock in her hands, which had now begun to glow with a green light. Startled, she let go of the necklace, the light fading.

"It seems like you've already gotten a hang of the toitsu," Jiro said with a smile. "Speaking of which. We still don't know what your powers are. So, I thought it'd be best if we appointed an instructor to help you."

Chihiro searched her mind, pondering who this instructor might be. She didn't know many people in the Spirit World, so this person would probably be someone she hadn't met before.

"I've just written a letter requesting that they come here immediately, seeing as how urgent this is," He explained, gesturing to the paper in front of him. "Your new instructor should be here by tomorrow morning."

Having finished their conversation, they both stood, Jiro making his way to the door. "Please, feel free to explore the estate; it's quite extensive and you shouldn't find yourself bored. And also, if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

Chihiro nodded, glancing one more time that the mosaic mural on the ceiling. The moon shone brilliantly. Before closing the door fully, she turned back, saying, "Thank you so much, Jiro. I'm sorry for imposing on you like this."

His face took on a shocked expression. "Not at all! You're not imposing in the slightest..." he paused, glancing at the floor briefly before continuing. "In fact, I'm glad you're here."

Nodding her thanks, she turned and left the office and began to meander around the mansion she would now temporarily be residing in. Chihiro made notes of the more memorable rooms, paying close attention to the occasional locked door she came across. Sometimes, she would come across workers of the Nigahayami estate, who all greeted her with immense respect. They seemed taken off guard when she would strike up a conversation with them, as if they were unfamiliar with receiving such kindness from guests to the estate.

Chihiro would continue to make her way around the mansion before finding her way back to her guest room, fatigue coming over her. As she stepped in, she paid attention to the new items on her freshly-made bed.

Lying there was a tray of tea and rice cakes. Next to them, a note written in cursive, saying:

_'There are soaps, lotions and towels in the bathroom. Also, additional clothing has been added to your armoire. I know you've had a rough day. Sadly, I can't promise that tomorrow will be any better, seeing as then will be your first lesson, but you should try to sleep nonetheless. Please, do let me know if you need anything else at any time. You know where to find me.'_

At the bottom of the note, written neatly, was Jiro's signature. She would have been touched, had a wave of drowsiness not come over her at that exact moment. Chihiro debated whether showering now or the next day would be best, but an unavoidable yawn answered her question for her.

Knowing it would be better if she ate something before going to sleep, she had a portion of the meal before her before nodding off into a much needed sleep, rice cake still in hand.

* * *

Jiro couldn't help but worry about the girl. He had been lying in his bed for what seemed like hours, trying to get sleep, but to no avail. He had tried using his mural trick, but every time he tried, all he could see was Chihiro's look of wonderment as she gazed at that same mural, which now refused to work. Why had this girl affected him so?

All his life, the only women he had ever come into contact with were always the strong, commanding type of the highest caliber and social rank. Never had he become acquainted with someone so blindly innocent and naive, yet even so, he could tell that she had within her an immense amount of strength, endurance, and courage. In fact, if the stories about her were true, about how she had saved her parents AND his cousin, then she was definitely a force to be reckoned with.

Why, then, were his nerves so unrelenting? Sure, she had a room full of anything she'd ever need, and there were servants o'plenty in the Nigahayami household. It weren't as if she were in any immediate danger. But, even so, he couldn't help but worry on account that she was just a girl.

_Just a girl._

That's all she was, wasn't she? A silly, human girl?

No, something about her was definitely special... The way his cousin doted on her was proof enough of that. But what was that one trait about her that made her so different from the rest?

As the head of his clan (who just so happened to be attractive and wealthy), Jiro had of course been approached by dozens of the finest women the Spirit World had to offer. They had all done everything properly; the batting of the eyelashes, every hair in place, smiles wide and inviting. Even now, Jiro couldn't help but compare Chihiro to them. Their differences were innumerable.

Yes, she was quite pretty. She was polite, and very courteous. But, she didn't have the practiced heirs of a lady in waiting... No, she was real. That is what distinguished her from the others. She was unrehearsed, and she was raw. Untainted by the cruel and manipulative ways of the world. All of her natural graces were just that; natural.

_But look who's talking_, he thought in self loathing.

It was no secret. Jiro Nigahayami, however much he hated the fakeness and insincerity of others, was pulling one of the biggest façades of them all. The ways of high rank had taught him that in order to be on top of things, he must appeal to the masses.

At a young age, he was learned in the arts of dancing, proper discussion topics, and the highly demanding skill of working a crowd. For every joke directed his way, there must be a lighthearted laugh that follows. For every compliment you receive, one of greater value must be returned. When a man asks you for a fish, you buy him an ocean, because you'll never know when you'll need something of his.

Jiro was also perfectly aware of his position, and how easily he could manipulate others to do his bidding. He was quite brilliant, in fact, in the art of manipulation... much to his ashamedness.

Over the years, he had projected his flamboyant mask for so long that he had almost forgotten who he truly was.

_Almost. _

And who was he, truly? As much as he hated to admit it, he despised the ways of elevated society. He found most lords and ladies truly unbearable with their droll talk of politics and gossip. The smile he had permanently plastered on his face gave no clue as to the true indifference he had buried deep inside, because in this world, indifference was cancerous to good business.

_Oh, to be able to lay out in the sun somewhere, alone, and escape it all._ He would give any sum of money to be given just one day to be real, uninfluenced by the sick world around him.

_To be like her._

Yes... that was it. That's why he felt that immediate connection. She was what he would have been, had he not been required to be someone else. This was the cause of his nerves... those stupid, unrelenting nerves!

Sitting upright in his bed, his eyes flew open with a new plan in his mind. He'd go down to her room, just to make sure she was ok. He didn't expect to find anything out of the ordinary, of course... this was purely to calm himself down.

Shutting his door with a slightly disgruntled slam, he set out through the long corridors, receiving strange glances from the servants who weren't used to seeing their master so late in the evening. Avoiding eye contact with them all, he stopped when he reached her door.

It was left open just a crack. He pushed it slightly more ajar, revealing the human girl, asleep on the bed, rice cake in hand.

Jiro smiled widely at the sight, relief flooding through his veins. This is what he had been so worried about?

The silly girl had fallen asleep with the tray of tea still at her side. She wasn't even properly on the bed, her legs dangled off the edge of the mattress, her feet touching the floor. Her slumber had obviously been thinking, Jiro reached down and placed her legs back on the bed, pulling the covers up and around her. She gave a sigh of contempt, earning a smile from Jiro.

Waving his hand over her, he cast a spell that assured that only pleasant dreams would come to her that night. She had found out some obviously life changing news, and tomorrow may be just as hectic, with her new magical training instructor.

_And just wait until she sees who it is,_ he thought sneakily to himself. He had never told Chihiro who her new instructor would be, and he took hidden delight at the inevitable surprise that would come tomorrow.

Turning out the light, he got one more look at Chihiro's peacefully slumbering face before leaving her room, paying special attention to not close the door too loudly. Seeing his guest safe and secure was enough to remove all of his worry, and he surprised himself when a yawn escaped his lips. Heading back to his room, Jiro fell asleep almost immediately after his head touched the pillow.

* * *

"Wakey, wakey!" A kind but abrasive voice blared. Chihiro rolled over in bed, her back to her new visitor, pressing the pillow to her exposed ear as if to block out the voice of the intruder. The girl gave a disapproving grumble.

"Oh come on, Chihiro!" The owner of the voice gave a wrinkled smile, amused at the girl's protests. "And here I was, thinking you'd be happy to see your granny again…" The older woman remarked. "If that's the case, I'll just take my things and leave…"

At this, Chihiro sat stick straight in her bed, eyes widening at the sight of her dear Zeniba. "Granny!" She shouted in surprise as she ran out of bed, immediately landing in her adoptive granny's embrace. "What are you doing here, granny?"

The older woman separated herself from Chihiro, getting a good look at how much she had grown since the last time they had seen one another. "My, my, look how much you've grown! And didn't Jiro tell you that you'd be receiving a new magic instructor?"

Chihiro's eyes widened in realization, suddenly put the two puzzle pieces together. Zeniba was her new teacher!

As if on cue, Jiro entered the room, a proud expression on his face at his ability to hide such a secret. He added sarcastically, "I take it you two don't need an introduction?"

As he stood beside the two women, Chihiro gave a delighted laugh and playfully slapped Jiro on the shoulder. "How could you not tell me?!" He gave an equally delighted laugh before responding. "I thought, considering all that you went through yesterday, that this would be a pleasant surprise for when you woke up."

Chihiro looked at him, a new appreciation in her eyes. "Thank you so much, Jiro. Truly. This is wonderful!"

Her enthusiastic expression flooded him with warmth, and he smiled in response. Her shining, joyful eyes were a welcomed contrast to their sad glimmer yesterday afternoon.

Zeniba observed their interaction, and only she could pick up on the way Jiro's cheeks reddened slightly at Chihiro's words. Her eyebrow lifted slightly in knowing amusement. _Oh, just wait until Haku gets here!_ "Well then," The jolly new instructor intervened. "Are we going to sit around all day? There's work to be done!

* * *

**Hello everyone! I certainly could have continued on in this chapter, but it was getting so long and my eyes were starting to close from being so tired. Sorry for the late upload! I hope you enjoy the chapter... I'm trying to develope some personality in our dear little Jiro. Don't worry, Haku will be coming soon! **

**What do you guys think? Do you like the direction I took in Jiro's personality? He's very similar to Haku in terms of how they think... In my mind, Haku was always perceived as the colder one and Jiro the lighthearted head-of-the-family (When Haku's father died, of course). But, in reality, Jiro was just as like Haku in his disdain for others, only he was forced to set it aside when his new title as head of the clan fell to him. I'll probably explain more in a further chapter or something, but if you have any questions on the Nigahayami family, feel free to ask! I've got it all figured out, it's just hard to explain. **

**Anyway, ***PLEASE GIVE ME REVIEWS!*** They keep me going, you would not believe just how much I love them! I love criticism too, so feel free to let me know where I can improve. I should be uploading in the next week or two, we'll see. Thank you all again and I'll talk to you soon! **


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